flüchtigem

Flüchtig is a German adjective with two main meanings: it can describe something that is fleeting or temporary, and it can refer to a person who has fled or is in hiding (used as a noun in the form der Flüchtige, die Flüchtigen). The lowercase form flüchtigem is an inflected form of the adjective, most commonly appearing in the dative case without a definite article or with a possessive or indefinite determiner, for example in phrases like mit flüchtigem Licht or zu flüchtigem Verhalten. When used as a noun, the word is capitalized as Flüchtiger (singular) or Flüchtigen in the dative.

Meanings and usage

- Fleeting or temporary: flüchtig describes phenomena that do not last long, such as flüchtige Eindrücke (fleeting impressions) or flüchtiges Licht (fleeting light). In this sense, the adjective can modify any noun and follows standard German declension rules, producing forms like flüchtiges Leben (neuter nominative/accusative), flüchtige Erinnerungen (plural), or flüchtigem Licht (neuter dative).

- Fugitive or escapee: as a noun, der Flüchtige refers to a person who has fled or is on the run, such as law enforcement describing a suspect. The corresponding dative form is dem Flüchtigen.

Etymology and grammar

Flüchtig derives from the verb fliehen (to flee) and has long been part of German adjective usage to denote transience or elusiveness. Its inflected forms depend on case, gender, and article. The form flüchtigem specifically appears in the dative singular (masculine or neuter) or inseparable contexts without an article using strong declension, as in mit flüchtigem Licht.

Notes

- The noun form is capitalized: der Flüchtige, die Flüchtigen.

- Context determines whether flüchtig refers to something temporary or to a person who has fled, with the tone typically neutral in encyclopedic writing.