adjective

knifflig

tricky

Etwas, das schwierig zu lösen oder zu verstehen ist und bei dem man genau nachdenken muss.

Definition & meaning

The word knifflig is an adjective used to describe something that is tricky, difficult, or complicated. It is typically applied to tasks, problems, or situations that require a high degree of concentration, skill, or ingenuity to resolve.

1. Difficult/Tricky: Something that is not straightforward and requires careful handling or thought. For example, a "kniffliges Problem" (a tricky problem) or a "knifflige Aufgabe" (a difficult task).
2. Subtle/Fiddly: Something that requires fine motor skills or careful maneuvering to accomplish because the details are small or complex.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

Category: Adjective.
Declension: It is a regular adjective (e.g., der knifflige Test, eine knifflige Situation).
Comparative forms: knifflig – kniffliger – am kniffligsten.

Word origin: The word is derived from the German noun Kniff, which refers to a trick, a clever technique, or a specific way of doing something (often involving a twist). The suffix -ig is a common German adjectival suffix meaning "full of" or "characterized by." Therefore, something that is knifflig is characterized by needing a certain "trick" or special insight to be solved.