öörahetus

Öörahetus is an Estonian term that appears mainly in regional dialects and historical sources, and there is no single universally accepted definition. Broadly, the word is associated with something nocturnal—a activity, duty, or vigil performed at night. In practical use, öörahetus has been described as an overnight handover or night-duty arrangement, where a person takes over responsibilities during the night after a daytime shift. In caregiving, security, and farming contexts, the term has been used to denote a night-time duty performed to maintain continuous operation or safety. In some texts it may also refer to the act of keeping watch or observing during the night.

Etymology: The word appears to combine the Estonian öö (night) with elements related to relief, replacement, or taking over, though the exact derivation is not uniform across sources.

Usage and status: Öörahetus is not part of standard contemporary Estonian vocabulary and is largely absent from modern dictionaries. It tends to appear in regional dialects, archival material, or specialized jargon, where it sometimes overlaps with or is replaced by terms such as öövahetus (night shift) or öövakt (night watch), depending on context.

See also: night shift, shift work, on-call duty, vigil, care work.