schlüssigen

Schlüssigen is the declined form of the German adjective schlüssig, which denotes something that leads to a conclusion in a logical and coherent way. It is used to describe reasoning, arguments, and evidence that are internally consistent and compelling.

Etymology: schlüssig comes from the noun Schluss meaning conclusion, combined with the suffix -ig, indicating a quality or character. The form schlüssigen appears in various grammatical cases, while the base meaning remains tied to logical soundness and conclusiveness.

Usage: In everyday language, schlüssig describes arguments and plans that are well-founded and persuasive. In academic or professional contexts, it signals sound reasoning that withstands scrutiny. In legal or forensic writing, schlüssig is used to characterize inferences or proofs that reasonably support a conclusion, often implying that the chain of reasoning is coherent and justifiable.

Declension and examples: When used attributively, schlüssig takes endings according to case, number, and gender. Examples include:

- ein schlüssiger Beweis (nominative singular, masculine)

- des schlüssigen Beweises (genitive singular, masculine)

- mit schlüssigen Beweisen (dative plural)

- schlüssige Beweise (nominative plural)

Additionally, feminine and neuter forms appear in contexts like eine schlüssige Begründung or ein schlüssiges Konzept, illustrating how the adjective adapts to the noun it modifies.

See also: Logik, Beweis, Argumentation, Schlussfolgerung.