flighty

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   guided by whim and fancy

   flighty young girls

2. 2
   adj

   That flies easily or often.

   "We know that flighty birds suffer from greater risk of raptor predation, and I assume that it is useful to understand the effects of urbanization because flighty species may be more vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance."

3. 3
   adj

   Swift.

   Permanent way and other checks then somewhat slowed down this flighty progress.

4. 4
   adj

   unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)

5. 5
   adj

   Given to unplanned and silly ideas or actions.

Etymology

From flight + -y. Compare Dutch vluchtig (“volatile; fleeting; cursory”), German flüchtig (“volatile; fleeting; momentary; quick”), Danish flygtig (“elusive; evasive”), Swedish flyktig.