unelias

Unelias is a Finnish adjective meaning sleepy or dreamy. It is used to describe a state of low alertness in a person or a mood or atmosphere that feels hazy, soft, or dreamlike. In everyday speech, unelias can describe someone who appears drowsy, sluggish, or lost in thought, as well as a scene with subdued light or muted colors.

Etymology and usage notes: The word is related to uni (sleep) and conveys the sense of lying between wakefulness and sleep. It is more about the perception of sleepiness or dreaminess than about physical fatigue alone. In contrast to väsynyt (tired) which emphasizes fatigue, unelias focuses on a gentle, sometimes pleasant fantasy-like state.

Examples: "Hän oli unelias koko päivän" meaning "He was sleepy all day." In English translations, the nuance can be captured with "sleepy" or "dreamy." The term is widely understood in Finnish but is less common in English-language contexts.

See also: Finnish language; Sleep; Dream.