beflügelt

Beflügelt is a German adjective meaning inspired, buoyed, or encouraged. It describes a person, group, or idea that has gained momentum as a result of encouragement, favorable conditions, or stimulating information. The term conveys both emotional uplift and renewed energy or ambition.

Etymology: befleügeln literally means “to give wings” (be- prefix + Flügel, wing). The adjective beflügelt or beflügelt is used to express that something has received wings or impetus, often in a figurative sense of increased dynamism or forward motion.

Usage: Beflügelt appears in both literary and everyday language. Attributive use: ein beflügeltes Team, beflügelte Ideen, eine beflügelte Rede. Predicative use: Die Belegschaft ist beflügelt. Phrases wie beflügelt von/durch etwas (inspired by or driven by something) are common, for example beflügelt von Aussicht oder beflügelt durch neue Ideen. The term is usually metaphorical, describing motivation, enthusiasm, or accelerated development rather than physical movement.

Relation and nuance: Beflügelt is close in meaning to and often interchangeable with inspiriert, angeregt, motiviert, or galvanisiert, though beflügelt emphasizes a sense of newly gained energy or capability. In English, it is commonly translated as “inspired,” “buoyed,” or “galvanized.”

See also: beflügeln, inspiration in German-language usage, metaphorical wing imagery in language.