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)

  1. brief, terse, scant

Declension

Inflection of knapphändig
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular knapphändig knapphändigare knapphändigast
neuter singular knapphändigt knapphändigare knapphändigast
plural knapphändiga knapphändigare knapphändigast
masculine plural2 knapphändige knapphändigare knapphändigast
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 knapphändige knapphändigare knapphändigaste
all knapphändiga knapphändigare knapphändigaste

1 The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
2 Dated or archaic.
3 Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Derived terms

References