Eiligkeit

Eiligkeit is a German noun describing the state or quality of being in a hurry or of pressing urgency. It denotes actions performed quickly or under time pressure and is closely tied to the adjective eilig (“in a hurry”) and the common noun Eile (“haste”). In everyday language, people more often say Eile or speak of being in Eile, but Eiligkeit appears in formal, academic, or literary contexts when discussing speed, urgency, or the consequences of haste.

Etymology and form: Eiligkeit is formed from the adjective eilig with the suffix -keit, which creates abstract nouns from adjectives. The root eilig itself comes from the verb eilen (to hurry), with origins in the Germanic language family. The term is thus a built-up, relatively formal noun for the quality of hurrying.

Usage and nuance: Eiligkeit can be neutral, indicating a necessary speed in a situation, or negative, implying that haste compromises care or accuracy. It is often used in analyses of processes, work flows, or decision-making to address the balance between speed and quality. Example contexts include describing why tasks must be completed quickly or how haste can lead to mistakes: “In dieser Situation ist Eiligkeit gefragt” or “Die Eiligkeit der Arbeit führte zu Fehlern.”

Related terms and phrases: Eile (haste), eilig (in a hurry), Hast, Dringlichkeit, Zeitdruck. The common expression for haste is “in Eile”; Eiligkeit is a more formal, sometimes literary way to refer to the attribute of being in a hurry.