vereliigi

vereliigi is a Finnish noun meaning “blood relative.” It is used to designate a person who is related to another by shared ancestry, as opposed to a relation by marriage or adoption. The term combines the roots **veri** (blood) and **liigi**, a suffix meaning “relative” or “kin.” vereliigi is thus a plain, neutral descriptor that appears in family, genealogical, and legal contexts in Finland.

In everyday speech, a person might say *“Minulla on kolme vereliigimäistä syvästä suvussa”* to refer to three blood relatives who are each within a close line of descent. In comparative Finnish, the related word **verisukulainen** is a synonym, though vereliigi is sometimes preferred in legal or formal documentation to emphasize blood ties.

The word is historically rooted in old Finnish society, where kinship played a significant role in inheritance, marriage, and social obligations. Legal texts from the 19th and early 20th century Finnish Civil Code used vereliigi to define rights and responsibilities of relatives in matters such as property, succession, and guardianship. Today, the term appears predominantly in genealogical databases, census records, and when respondents list relatives in demographic surveys.

Cross‑cultural parallels can be seen in German *Verwandte*, English *blood relative*, and Russian *kratom* (*кровный родственник*). Despite the similarity, vereliigi specifically excludes marital or adopted relations, thereby maintaining clear biological distinctions within Finnish kinship terminology.