võrdlevat

Võrdlevat is an Estonian word form derived from the adjective võrdlev, meaning "comparative" or "of comparison." It is the partitive singular form of võrdlev and is used when the noun it modifies is in the partitive case. For example, in phrases like võrdlevat kirjandust, the word functions as an adjective describing kirjandus (literature) in the partitive.

In Estonian grammar, the concept of degree of comparison is expressed through the comparative form (võrdlev vorm) and the superlative. The base adjective võrdlev signals the comparative degree, while other related forms yield different cases and numbers (for instance, võrdleva or võrdlev on other cases). The noun võrdlevus denotes the property or state of being comparative.

Etymology and behavior: võrdlevat is formed from the stem võrdle- plus the adjectival suffix -v and the partitive ending -at. This pattern mirrors how Estonian adjectives agree with their nouns in gender-neutral, case-based inflection. The word also has a corresponding adverbial form, võrdlevalt, meaning "comparatively."

Common usage: outside strict linguistics, võrdlev is encountered in discussions of grammar and in field names such as võrdlev kirjandus, or comparative literature. It also appears in constructions describing degrees of comparison in general language usage, where the partitive form may be required by the sentence’s syntactic needs. The related noun võrdlevus encapsulates the notion of comparativeness.