vaatimus

Vaatimus is a Finnish noun with several related meanings centered on asserting needs or conditions. It can denote a demand or claim asserted by a person or organization, a requirement that must be satisfied, or an entitlement or right asserted against another party. The nuance depends on context: in law, a vaatimus usually refers to a formal claim for a sum or remedy; in contracts or service terms, it designates an agreed condition or requirement; in everyday speech, it can express an expectation that something should be done.

Etymology: The word derives from the verb vaatia "to demand" and the abstract noun suffix -mus. It is related to other Finnic languages’ words with similar meaning.

Usage: In legal contexts, vaatimus describes a claim or demand submitted to a court or another party, such as a compensation vaatimus or a performance vaatimus. In commercial and technical contexts, vaatimus often means a contractual or product requirement—an attribute or condition that must be met for compliance or acceptance. In general usage, it may refer to a demanded prerequisite or expectation.

Plural form, vaatimukset, is used to refer to multiple demands or requirements. In English-language contexts, closest translations depend on usage and can be "claim," "demand," or "requirement."