Estonian vocabulary

[1][2] Estonian language planners such as Ado Grenzstein (a journalist active in Estonia in the 1870s–90s) tried to use formation ex nihilo, Urschöpfung,[3] i.e. they created new words out of nothing.

‘free constructions’, Tauli 1977), along with other sources of lexical enrichment such as derivations, compositions and loanwords (often from Finnish; cf.

Consider • ese ‘object’, • kolp ‘skull’, • liibuma ‘to cling’, • naasma ‘to return, come back’, • nõme ‘stupid, dull’, • range ‘strict’, • reetma ‘to betray’, • solge ‘slim, flexible, graceful’ (which did not gain currency, cf.

Contemporary Estonian graatsiline ‘graceful’, although the word itself is used for a parasitic worm, namely Ascaris lumbricoides), and • veenma ‘to convince’.

States: elama 'to live; to dwell', koolma 'to die, pass away, decease', pelgama 'to be afraid, fear', tundma 'to feel' Environment: suvi 'summer', päev 'day', kaja 'echo', kuu 'moon, Luna', lumi 'snow', soo 'marsh, bog, swamp', vesi 'water', juga 'jet; falls, waterfall' Plants: puu 'tree', kuusk 'spruce, fir(-tree)', kõiv 'birch', murakas 'cloudberry' Animals: kala 'fish', küü 'snake; blindworm', sisalik 'lizard' Society: vägi 'power, vigour, strength, might, force', sala 'secretly', naine 'woman', nimi 'name' Locations: ala 'under, sub', üla 'upper, top', esi 'front', taga 'behind' Grammatical: m(in)a 'I', s(in)a 'thou', see 'this, it', kes 'who', mis 'what', too 'that', ei 'no' Numerals: kaks 'two', viis 'five' Environment: ilm 'weather, air', jää 'ice', koit 'dawn, daybreak, Aurora', talv 'winter', sügis 'autumn', voor 'drumlin' Plants: paju 'willow', pihl 'rowan', kask 'birch', mari 'berry', pohl 'cowberry' Animals: kamar 'rind', nugis 'marten', siil 'hedgehog', hiir 'mouse', püü 'grouse', mõtus 'capercaillie', vares 'crow', pääsuke 'swallow', säga 'catfish', säinas 'ide', särg 'roach', täi 'louse', kusilane 'ant', koi 'moth, bug' ise 'self', iga 'age' Society: küla 'village'; isa 'father', poeg 'son', küdi 'brother-in-law', kond '-hood', nõid 'witch', sepp 'blacksmith' Adjectives: valge 'white', hahk 'gray; eider', süva 'deep-seated, profound', uus 'new' Numerals: üks 'one', kolm 'three', neli 'four', kuus 'six' Environment: koobas 'cave', põrm 'dust, earth' Plants: peda(jas) 'pine tree', kuslapuu 'honeysuckle', oks 'branch', pähkel 'nut', kiud 'fiber' Animals: kotkas 'eagle', orav 'squirrel', peni 'dog', sõnnik 'dung' Environment: kevad 'spring', täht 'star', järv 'lake' Plants: haab 'aspen', saar 'ash tree', tamm 'oak', vaher 'maple', sarapuu 'hazel', õlg 'straw' Animals: lehm 'cow', siga 'pig', kurg 'crane, stork', kurvits 'sandpiper', parm 'horse fly', sääsk 'midge' Fishing and seafaring: aer 'oar', mõrd 'fish trap', laev 'ship', noot 'seine, sweep net', puri 'sail' Metals: kuld 'gold', raud 'iron', tina 'tin' Products: sukk 'stocking', katel 'kettle', küünal 'candle', taigen 'dough' Society: kuningas 'king', laen 'loan', luna 'ransom, bail', raha 'money', rikas 'rich', vald 'parish, community' Nature: kalju 'rock', kallas 'shore', rand 'coast' Other: arbuma 'to magic, charm', tabama 'to catch, seize, capture, hit', armas 'dear', taud 'disease', kaunis 'beautiful', ja 'and' Botany: kõrvits 'pumpkin', peet 'beet', salat 'salad', petersell 'parsley', münt 'coin', köömen 'caraway, cumin', loorber 'laurel', palm 'palm (tree)', tamm 'dam', roos 'rose', ploom 'plum' Culinary: köök 'kitchen', kruubid 'groat', kringel 'kringle, type of pastry', pannkook 'pancake', pekk 'lard', prantssai 'type of pastry', sült 'brawn', vorst 'sausage', õli 'oil', tärklis 'starch', pruukost 'breakfast', kruus 'mug', pann 'pan', pütt 'barrel', korv 'basket', lähker 'bota' Clothing: käärid 'scissors', teljed 'looms', vokk 'spinning wheel', lõuend 'canvas', samet 'velvet', siid 'silk', vilt 'felt', kuub 'coat', kört 'skirt', loor 'veil', müts 'cap', muda 'mud', mantel 'coat', püksid 'pants, trousers', vammus 'coat', nööp 'button' Architecture: hoov 'courtyard', häärber 'mansion', kelder 'cellar', kemmerg 'toilet', korsten 'chimney', ruum 'room', saal 'hall', tall 'stables', trepp 'stairs', vall 'wall, ridge', võlv 'vault' Technology: haamer 'hammer', hing 'hinge', höövel 'planer', kellu 'trowel', kapp 'cupboard', pink 'bench', tool 'stool'; jaht 'hunt', jääger 'hunter, hunt manager, game warden', kants 'stronghold', kütt 'hunter', laager 'camp', lahing 'battle', püss 'gun, rifle', tääk 'bayonet', vaht 'watch' Religion: altar 'altar', ingel 'angel', jünger 'disciple', psalm 'psalm', prohvet 'prophet', salm 'verse', preester 'priest', troost 'consolation', pihtima 'to confess', vöörmünder 'church warden, beadle', piiskop 'bishop', sant 'beggar, cripple' People: preili 'miss, maiden', memm 'old woman', mats 'boor, hick', härra 'gentleman', proua 'lady', kelm 'dodger, rascal, cheat', narr 'joker, fool', naaber 'neighbour', kuller 'courrier', laat 'fair, market', selts 'society, club', krahv 'count', saks 'German, nobleman', arst 'doctor' Measures: kortel 'quartern', matt 'a measure', toll 'inch', vaagima 'to weigh', viht 'weight', üür 'rent', paar 'pair', topelt 'double', väärt 'valuable', tosin 'dozen', veerand 'quarter'; tund 'hour', vastlad 'shrovetide' Nautical: ankur 'anchor', kiil 'keel', tüür 'steer', praam 'pram, ferry', madrus 'sailor', pootsman 'boatswain', kotermann 'ship gremlin', loots 'pilot', kipper 'skipper' Arts: kaart 'map, card', kunst 'art', maaler 'painter', maalima 'to paint', paber 'paper', trükkima 'to print', trumm 'drum', tantsima 'to dance', piip 'pipe', vilepill 'whistle', pasun 'horn, trumpet'