õhust

Õhust is the elative singular form of the Estonian noun õhk, meaning "air". As a grammatical case form, õhust expresses the idea of origin, source or separation and is typically translated into English as "from the air" or "out of the air". It is used in contexts where something is coming from, or being removed from, the air.

In Estonian morphology õhk is the basic nominative; the elative õhust contrasts with other locative cases such as õhus ("in the air") and õhku ("into the air"). The language places primary stress on the first syllable, so õhust is pronounced approximately /ˈɤ.hust/. Typical uses include descriptions of physical processes (e.g., moisture or particles originating from the air), chemical or technological phrases (extracting substances from air), and figurative expressions referring to intangible sources.

As a common element in both everyday speech and technical language, õhust appears in meteorology, environmental science and idiomatic expressions where the notion of origin or separation is relevant. Its function illustrates the rich system of locative cases in Estonian, which allow precise expression of spatial and source relations without prepositions.