Wankelmütiger

Wankelmütiger is a German term used to describe a person who is capricious or changeable in mood or opinion. As an adjective, wankelmütig means fickle or volatile. The noun form Wankelmütiger (masculine) or Wankelmütige (feminine) refers to a person who is this way. The term carries a negative connotation and is commonly found in literary, journalistic, or sociological contexts.

Origin and meaning: The word combines wanken “to waver” with Mut, a traditional word for mood or disposition. The noun Wankelmut denotes capriciousness itself. The compound has been used in German since the early modern period and remains relatively formal or literary in contemporary usage.

Usage notes: In German, wankelmütig is typically applied to people who repeatedly change opinions or moods, often in a way that undermines reliability. It is more common in written language than in everyday speech, and can appear in discussions of politics, leadership, or personal relationships. Example: “Ein wankelmütiger Politiker wechselt ständig seine Positionen.”

Synonyms and related terms: launisch (moody), unbeständig (unreliable), wechselhaft (changeable), sprunghaft (fickle). The noun form Wankelmut describes the phenomenon rather than a specific person.