steife

Steife is a form used in German grammar. It is the feminine singular inflected form of the adjective steif, meaning stiff or rigid, used with feminine nouns in certain cases, typically after a definite article. For example, die steife Haltung (the stiff posture) and die steife Kleidung (the stiff clothing). The form signals agreement with the gender and case of the noun and follows standard German adjective declension rules.

Outside grammar, steife can appear as a proper name in some contexts, including as a surname or a place name, though such uses are uncommon and highly regional. There is no broadly recognized concept or doctrine called “Steife” in major reference works beyond noting its status as an inflected form of steif.

Etymology: The adjective steif derives from Germanic roots meaning stiff or rigid, and steife inherits this meaning as its feminine form. In everyday German, the word appears in descriptive phrases related to posture, materials, or stiffness.