flüchtig

Flüchtig is a German adjective that translates to fleeting, transient, or fugitive in English. It describes something that is brief in duration, easily passing, or difficult to catch or hold onto. The word can be applied to a wide range of contexts. For instance, a flüchtig moment is a brief and passing experience. A flüchtig glance suggests a quick look that does not linger. In a more abstract sense, a flüchtig thought might be one that is hard to recall or grasp. The concept of flüchtig also appears in scientific and technical fields. In chemistry, a flüchtige substance is one that readily evaporates at room temperature. This property is often referred to as volatility. In computing, flüchtiger Speicher, or volatile memory, loses its data when the power is turned off, such as with RAM. The opposite of flüchtig is generally something permanent, stable, or enduring. The etymology of the word points to its core meaning of movement and quick departure, stemming from the verb "flüchten," meaning to flee or escape.