flighty

UK: ˈflaɪti | US: ˈflaɪti

Definition

  1. adj. 1. (of a person) frivolous, capricious, or lacking steadiness in purpose.

  2. adj. 2. (archaic) swift or fleeting in movement.

Structure
flight <to flee or move swiftly>y <adjective suffix>
Etymology

The word "flighty" combines "flight," derived from Old English flyht (related to flēon, meaning "to flee"), with the suffix "-y," which forms adjectives. Originally, "flighty" described something swift or transient (e.g., "flighty clouds"). By the 18th century, it evolved to describe people with erratic or impulsive behavior, metaphorically linking physical swiftness to mental restlessness.

Examples

  1. Her flighty nature made it hard for her to commit to long-term plans.

  2. The bird's flighty movements made it difficult to photograph.

  3. He dismissed her ideas as flighty and impractical.

  4. The horse grew flighty at the sound of thunder.

  5. Critics called the novel’s plot flighty and disjointed.