õhem

Õhem is an Estonian adjective that denotes a thinner or less thick state. It is the comparative form of the adjective õhuke, which means thin in thickness. In usage, õhem is employed to compare the thickness of objects, layers, or materials, indicating that one is less thick than another.

Etymology and form: õhem is created from the base adjective õhuke by adding the standard Estonian comparative ending. Like other Estonian adjectives, õhem agrees with the noun it modifies in number and case when used in a sentence. In practice, it appears in predicative position or directly before the noun it describes, with appropriate case endings in inflected contexts.

Usage and contexts: The word is common in everyday language as well as technical descriptions, especially when discussing fabric, paper, coatings, geologic layers, or any situation where thickness is compared. It can describe physical objects or abstract notions of density or concentration in a comparative sense.

Examples:

- See kiht on õhem kui eelmine. (This layer is thinner than the previous one.)

- Need paberid on õhemad, seega sobivad paremini selleks ülesandeks. (Those papers are thinner, thus better suited for this task.)

Related terms include paks (thick) and õhuke (thin), with õhem representing the comparative degree of thickness. The word is written with the Estonian orthography character õ, and is used across standard Estonian prose and technical writing.