Drempelige

Drempelige is a Dutch adjective meaning threshold-related or borderline. It is used to describe things that pertain to a threshold value or lie at the edge of perceptibility, such as stimuli that are just noticeable or borderline in a given context. The form drempelige is commonly placed before nouns, as in drempelige prikkels or een drempelige situatie.

Originating from the noun drempel (threshold) and the suffix -ig, the word conveys a sense of being at or near a limit. In many contexts the adjective takes standard Dutch inflection, with the attributive form drempelige preceding a noun.

In science domains such as psychology, psychophysics, and sensory research, drempelige prikkels describe stimuli that approach perceptual thresholds. In everyday language it can describe situations or decisions that are marginal, cautious, or potentially risky, e.g., een drempelige grens or een drempelige situatie.

The term is not universally defined in all dictionaries and is mostly used in technical or informal speech. Its precise meaning can vary with domain, so it is best interpreted from the surrounding context.

Related terms include perceptiedrempel (perceptual threshold) and drempelwaarde (threshold value).