Üksildane

Üksildane is an Estonian word that can function as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it means lonely, solitary, or isolated, describing a person or situation lacking companionship or emotional support. As a noun, üksildane denotes a lonely or socially isolated person, sometimes carrying connotations of pity or marginalization depending on context.

Etymology: The word is formed from the numeral üks ("one") combined with the suffix -ildane, which forms adjectives indicating a state or condition. It is a standard Estonian term with attested usage in 19th- and 20th-century literature and continuing in modern prose and speech.

Nuances: Üksildane often conveys emotional weight beyond the neutral üheku, and is commonly used to describe social exclusion, vulnerability, or distress, though it can describe physical solitude as well.

Usage: Ta on üksildane inimene. Ta tunneb end üksildasena. In literary texts, the term may evoke sympathy for marginalized characters or reflect social neglect, while in everyday speech it can describe a felt sense of loneliness or isolation.

Translations: Closest equivalents in English are lonely or solitary; depending on context it can imply misery, marginalization, or vulnerability rather than simple physical solitude.

See also: üksik, isolatsioon, sotsiaalne isolatsioon.