knapphändig
Swedish
Etymology
From Low German knaphandig, superficially equivalent to knapp (“scarce”) + händig. Attested since 1827. Original meaning could have been connected to knapp in the now archaic sense "dexterous".
Adjective
knapphändig (comparative knapphändigare, superlative knapphändigast)
- brief, terse, scant
Declension
| Inflection of knapphändig | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
| Common singular | knapphändig | knapphändigare | knapphändigast |
| Neuter singular | knapphändigt | knapphändigare | knapphändigast |
| Plural | knapphändiga | knapphändigare | knapphändigast |
| Masculine plural3 | knapphändige | knapphändigare | knapphändigast |
| Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Masculine singular1 | knapphändige | knapphändigare | knapphändigaste |
| All | knapphändiga | knapphändigare | knapphändigaste |
| 1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic | |||
Derived terms
- knapphändighet
References
- knapphändig in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
- knapphändig in Svensk ordbok (SO)
- knapphändig in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)