felsiges

Felsiges is an adjective form in German meaning rocky or rocky-looking. It is derived from the noun Fels (rock) with the suffix -ig and is used to describe surfaces, terrains or rocks that are dominated by exposed stone, often with little soil or vegetation. The word is common in geological, geographical and landscape descriptions and conveys a sense of roughness and hardness.

Grammatically, felsiges is typically used attributively before a noun. Without a determiner it can appear as felsiges Gelände or felsiges Gestein. With a definite article, it becomes das felsige Gelände or das felsige Gestein. In the plural, adjectives take endings appropriate to the noun: felsige Felsen, felsige Klippen, for example. The adjective has comparative and superlative forms: felsiger (more rocky) and am felsigsten (most rocky) or das felsigste Gelände as a superlative construction in fixed phrases.

Usage notes and nuance: felsiges describes terrain where rock dominates, implying roughness, exposure and often limited accessibility. It is frequently used in field reports, hiking descriptions, and geoscientific writing to contrast with more vegetated or sediment-covered areas. The term can be paired with various rock-related nouns such as Gestein (rock), Felsen (cliffs) or Gelände (terrain) to specify the nature of the landscape.

Examples: Das felsige Gelände machte den Aufstieg anspruchsvoll. Die felsigen Felsen boten extreme Kletterpassagen. In geologischen Karten wird oft von felsigem Gestein gesprochen, wenn solide, ungeschützte Felsstrukturen vorherrschen.

See also: German adjectives, geology terminology, topography.