geknipperd

Geknipperd is a Dutch past participle and adjective derived from the verb knipperen, which means to blink or to flicker. As a participle, geknipperd describes a state in which blinking or flickering has occurred, or is evident. The form is used both in perfect tenses and as a predicative adjective, often in more formal or written Dutch.

Etymology and formation: geknipperd is built with the prefix ge-, the present stem knipper, and the final -d, following a regular pattern for verbs in the -eren group such as knipperen (to blink, to flicker). The word is distinct from geknipt, the past participle of knippen (to cut), and is therefore not interchangeable with it. The meaning centers on blinking or flickering rather than cutting.

Usage and context: geknipperd commonly appears in technical, descriptive, or literary contexts to convey that lights, indicators, or screens have twitched or flashed briefly. Examples include: "Het lampje is geknipperd door een defect," meaning the light has flickered due to a fault; "De lichten waren geknipperd tijdens de stroomonderbreking." In everyday speech, speakers often use knipperen in active forms such as "de lamp knippert," while geknipperd is more typical in passive or narrative registers. Metaphorically, it can describe eyes or other movable parts momentarily flashing or blinking, though such usage is less common.

Zie ook: knipperen, knippen.