übergreifende

Übergreifende is a German adjective formed from über- (across, beyond) and greifen (to grasp, to take hold). It is used to describe something that spans or connects multiple domains, disciplines, groups, or levels, signaling cross-cutting or overarching significance. The term is common in discussions of strategy, organization, and policy, where issues cannot be confined to a single department or field.

Grammatically, übergreifend appears as the stem of the attributive adjective übergreifend, with its ending adapting to gender, number, and case. In practice, you will find forms such as der übergreifende Ansatz, die übergreifende Idee, das übergreifende Konzept, and die übergreifenden Themen. The plural form is üblich in phrases like übergreifende Themen oder übergreifende Strategien. As an adverb, the base form übergreifend is used in expressions like die Abteilungen arbeiten übergreifend zusammen.

Contexts where the term is frequent include education, science, business, and public administration. In education, übergreifendes Lernen or übergreifende Kompetenzen describe skills and knowledge that cross subject boundaries. In research and policy, it denotes cross-cutting themes such as climate, health, or digitalization that require coordination across disciplines or sectors. Related terms include transdisziplinär (transdisciplinary) and querschnittlich (cross-sectional), which convey similar ideas with slightly different nuance.

Overall, übergreifende characterizes elements that integrate multiple perspectives or sectors, emphasizing a holistic or integrative approach rather than isolated, domain-specific viewpoints.