valitsed

Valitsed is the plural form of the Estonian noun valitsus, which translates to "government" in English. It denotes multiple governing bodies or administrations that exercise political authority within a sovereign state. In Estonian political discourse, the term is used to refer collectively to different incarnations of a country's executive institutions, such as successive cabinets or administrations that have governed Estonia over time. The word can also appear in historical contexts to describe the series of governments that have existed in a nation, especially during periods of transition, occupation, or regime change.

Linguistically, valitsed functions as a standard plural noun in Estonian, following typical pluralization rules for nouns ending in -us. The singular form valitsus derives from the root valitse-, which is itself connected to the verb valitseda meaning "to govern." Thus, valitsed encapsulates both the concept of governing bodies and the action of governance through its etymological roots.

In contemporary usage, valitsed is employed in academic discussions of comparative politics, in parliamentary debate when referring to earlier governments, and in media reporting on changes in governmental structure. It is also found in Estonian encyclopedias and dictionaries as a term of general reference to state administrations.