stijver

Stijver is a Dutch adjective describing greater rigidity or stiffness compared with another object or situation. It is the comparative form of stijf, meaning stiff or rigid. In English, stijver is usually translated as stiffer or more rigid. The term can refer to physical properties—such as a stijver joint, a stijver metal, or a stijver plank—as well as to abstract qualities, including rules, policies, or attitudes that are more inflexible or resistant to change. In everyday language, one may say that X is stijver than Y to indicate a comparative stiffness.

In science and everyday use, stijver describes reduced mobility or stiffness of tissues, joints, or muscles, for instance due to aging, injury, or inflammation. In engineering and materials science, stijver materials exhibit higher stiffness or modulus of elasticity than alternatives. The word is common in medical, athletic, and technical contexts, and it can also convey a negative sense of rigidity when overused or unwavering.

Morphology: stijver is the comparative form of stijf, the base meaning stiff. The related noun is stiffness, typically expressed in Dutch as stijvheid or stijfheid, with stijve as another adjectival form meaning stiff.

Etymology: the term derives from Dutch stijf, linked to older Germanic roots for 'stiff' or 'rigid' and used in modern Dutch to express degrees of rigidity.