hervorstechende

Hervorstechende is a German adjective meaning conspicuous, prominent, or outstanding. It is formed from the verb stem of hervortreten or hervortstechen with the present-participle suffix -ende, and is used to describe features, skills, or people that stand out in a noticeable way. The word is typically used attributively before a noun, as in eine hervorstechende Eigenschaft or ein hervorstechendes Merkmal, and can also occur in plural form as hervorstechende Eigenschaften or hervorstechende Merkmale.

Etymology and sense

The term derives from the prefix hervor- combined with stechen or stehen, conveying the sense of something that protrudes or stands out from its surroundings. In practice, hervorstechende refers to attributes or qualities that are easily perceived, exceptional, or highly noticeable relative to a reference group or norm. It carries a positive connotation of commendable prominence, though it can be used neutrally in descriptive prose.

Usage and nuance

Hervorstechende is common in formal, academic, and media language. It emphasizes clear perceptual distinctiveness rather than mere abundance. It is closely related to synonyms such as auffällig, markant, and herausragend, though each carries slightly different connotations. Unpluralized or uninflected forms are rare in everyday speech; the attributive form typically appears as hervorstechende with suitable article and noun endings.

Examples

Die hervorstechende Eigenschaft des Produkts ist seine Skalierbarkeit. Diese hervortretenden Merkmale machen das Konzept für Investoren attraktiv. In der Beschreibung kann man auch sagen: “eine hervorstechende Fähigkeit” oder “hervorstechende Talente”.

See also

hervorstehend, auffällig, markant, herausragend, hervorheben.