õpetliku

Õpetliku is an Estonian adjective derived from the root word for teaching, and it means didactic, instructive, or educational. It is used to describe content designed to teach or convey moral lessons, such as books, films, or other media with educational intent. The nuance can be neutral or slightly moralizing, and in more formal contexts a synonym like didaktiline may be preferred.

Grammatical note: õetlikku is the base form used before a noun, while õpetliku is the genitive singular form. For example, a phrase like "õpetliku sisu raamat" means a book with educational content, and "õpetlik lugu" refers to a didactic story. The genitive form is common when describing the content or attributes of something in Estonian.

Etymology and related forms: the word is built from the noun/verb family related to teaching (õpetus, õpetama). Related adjectives include õpetav (instructive or teaching in action) and the loanword didaktiline (didactic), which is often used in more formal or academic contexts.

Usage and nuance: õpetlik describes material intended to educate or impart lessons. While largely neutral, it can imply a prescriptive or moralizing tone in some contexts, particularly for children's literature or media that aims to instill values. In contemporary Estonian, both õpetlik and didaktiline appear, with the latter common in formal or scholarly writing.