übergreifender

Übergreifender is the comparative form of the German adjective übergreifend, meaning cross-cutting or spanning multiple domains. The term combines über (across, beyond) with greifen, evoking reaching across boundaries. In usage, übergreifender describes approaches, policies, or analyses that cross departmental, disciplinary, or sectoral boundaries.

Common contexts include government policy, corporate governance, education, and research. Examples: ein übergreifender Ansatz zur Lösung komplexer Probleme; übergreifende Zusammenarbeit zwischen Abteilungen; eine übergreifendendere Strategie in der Digitalisierung. Grammatically, im attributiven Einsatz wird es wie andere Adjektive dekliniert; der übergreifendere Plan, ein übergreifender Plan, übergreifende Ansätze. The superlative form is am übergreifendsten.

Related terms include übergreifend (positiv; adverbial) and closer concepts such as interdisziplinär (interdisciplinary) and transdisziplinär (transdisciplinary). In German-language discourse, übergreifender is commonly used to denote cross-cutting or cross-sectoral considerations that integrate multiple domains rather than focusing on a single silo. The term is widely employed in policy, management, and educational contexts, and is often translated into English as cross-cutting, cross-sectoral, or holistic, depending on the emphasis.