ulottunut

Ulottunut is a Finnish past participle of the intransitive verb ulottua, meaning to extend, to reach out, or to span. In usage, ulottunut functions as an adjective or as part of a predicate to describe something that has become extended in space or time, or that reaches into other domains. It can describe both concrete extents and more abstract concepts such as influence or duration.

Etymology and forms: Ulottunut derives from ulottua, with related nouns such as ulottuvuus (extent, reach) and ulottuvaisuus (opportunity for extension). As a participle, ulottunut can modify nouns (ulottunut alue, regions that have extended) and agrees in number with the noun it describes. It is used in predicative position with the auxiliary on, as in vaikutus on ulottunut naapurimaihin asti (the influence has extended to neighboring countries).

Usage notes: Ulottunut emphasizes that an extent has been achieved or has spread, often across space or time. For present or ongoing extension, the present tense form ulottuu is typically used (vaikutus ulottuu…), whereas ulottunut describes something that has already extended or been extended and is being stated as a completed state. The word is common in descriptive writing and in analyses of geographical, temporal, or metaphorical reach.

See also: ulottua, ulottaa, ulottuvuus.