puoli

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *pooli, from Proto-Uralic *pälä. Cognates include Estonian pool (“half”), Erzya пель (peľ, “half”), пола (pola, “spouse”), Northern Mansi па̄л (pāl, “half, side”), Hungarian fél (“half”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpuo̯li/, [ˈpuo̞̯li]
• Rhymes: -uoli
• Hyphenation^(key): puo‧li

Adjective

puoli (not comparable)

1. half (consisting of a half; such that two of them make one whole)

   puoli tuntia ― half an hour

2. when followed by a number representing an hour, similar to half past, but 30 minutes before an hour rather than after

   kun kello on puoli seitsemän ― when the time is half past six (literally, “…half seven”)

Noun

puoli

1. half (one of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided)

   Kumman puolen haluat?

   Which half do you want?

   En saanut puoltakaan rahoistani takaisin.

   I did not get even half of my money back.

   1. (in the plural) half [with elative ‘of’]

      puolet kakusta ― half of the cake

      Haluan puolet.

      I want (one/a) half.

      Puolet kävijöistä olivat ensikertalaisia.

      Half of the visitors were first-timers.

2. side (of something with two sides)

   tämä puoli ylöspäin ― this side up

   Hänellä on pimeä puolensa.

   He has his dark side.

3. aspect, facet, feature

   hyvä puoli ― advantage, benefit

   huono puoli ― disadvantage, drawback

   Asiassa on monta puolta.

   There are many aspects in this issue.

   Mitkä ovat parhaat puolesi?

   What are your best features?

4. side (region in a specified position with respect to something)
5. side (possible aspect of a concept)
6. (in compounds) step- (of parent or grandfather who is not blood relative or adopted)

   isäpuoli ― stepfather

7. (in compounds) For adjectives, used to express that something, usually one half of a pair is missing.

   silmäpuoli koira ― one-eyed dog

   korvapuoli kahvikuppi ― earless coffee cup

Further reading

• “puoli”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

Noun

puoli

1. half