suvullinen

Suvullinen is a Finnish adjective formed from suku, meaning family or lineage, and the suffix -llinen, which indicates a characteristic or quality. The term is not part of standard everyday Finnish and is mainly found in specialized or literary contexts. In those contexts, suvullinen is used to describe phenomena that pertain to a particular family or kin group, or that are transmitted along generations.

Meaning and usage

Suvullinen can refer to traits, practices, or patterns that recur within a family or are characteristic of a lineage. For example, suvullinen piirre describes a trait that appears across multiple generations, while suvullinen perintö can denote inheritances of cultural, social, or material nature tied to a family. The term emphasizes kinship-linked transmission rather than general genetic or individual variation, though its precise sense can vary with context.

Context and nuance

Because suvullinen is not widely used in everyday language, its interpretation relies on surrounding text. In genealogy, anthropology, or fiction, it helps signal that the focus is on lineage-specific features rather than on broad population-wide traits. Writers may choose suvullinen to highlight cultural continuity, family naming practices, or inherited social roles within a kin group.

See also

See suku (family/lineage), sukulaisuus (kinship), perintö (inheritance), geneettinen (genetic).

Note

As a relatively uncommon term, suvullinen may be unfamiliar to many readers, and its exact meaning can depend on the author’s intent.