õigsuses

õigsuses is an Estonian noun form indicating the state or condition of being legitimate, rightful, or in accordance with law or moral principle. It is the inessive form of õigsus, a concept that covers legitimacy, rightful status, and, in some contexts, justice. In legal and philosophical discourse, õigsuses is used to discuss whether actions, claims, institutions, or authorities have a legitimate basis and conform to normative standards.

Etymology and usage nuances: The base õigsus combines the root õigus with the abstract-noun suffix -sus, and the inessive ending -s yields õigsuses, meaning “in legitimacy” or “in a state of rightful status.” The term is most common in formal or theoretical writing, and it may appear alongside related terms such as õigus (right, law), õiglus (justice), and õiguslikkus (legality).

Distinctions: Õigsus emphasizes legitimacy and rightful grounding in law or ethical principles, differentiating it from the broader legal sense of õigus and from the more moral or normative sense of õiglus. In practice, õigsuses can describe the compliance of a claim, action, or authority with established legal norms or with principles of fairness.

Context and relevance: The concept appears in discussions of constitutional legitimacy, state authority, property claims, and debates about fairness and due process. While its everyday use is relatively formal, it remains a core term in Estonian legal and political vocabulary.