Lacking seriousness or responsibility; easily distracted or fickle in affections.
From 'flight' (Old English 'flyht', from the verb 'to fly') plus the suffix '-y' (having the quality of). Originally meant 'inclined to take flight' or 'moving quickly,' it evolved to mean mentally restless or superficial.
The word 'flighty' is almost exclusively used to describe women—applied to men, the same behavior gets called 'playful' or 'spontaneous.' This linguistic gender bias reveals how the same actions get judged through different cultural lenses depending on who does them.
Historically applied disproportionately to women to dismiss their decisions or intellect as unreliable. Rooted in 19th-century stereotypes of female emotionality and instability as inherent rather than circumstantial.
Describe specific, observable behaviors ('changes mind frequently', 'shifts focus rapidly') rather than character judgments tied to flightiness.
["spontaneous","adaptable","easily distracted"]
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