German

Noun

Flitter m ‎(genitive Flitters, plural Flitter)

1. spangle
2. a piece of cheap costume jewelry

Declension

Related terms

• flittern

English

Verb

flitter ‎(third-person singular simple present flitters, present participle flittering, simple past and past participle flittered)

1. to scatter in pieces
2. to move about rapidly and nimbly
3. to move quickly from one condition or location to another
4. to flutter or quiver

Derived terms

• flittermouse
• flittery

Noun

flitter ‎(plural flitters)

1. A rag; a tatter; a small piece or fragment.
2. (science fiction) A small aircraft or spacecraft.
   • 1941 July, Smith, Edward Elmer, “The Vortex Blaster”, in Comet Stories, volume 1, number 5, page 10:

     Then all three went out to the flitter. A tiny speedster, really; a torpedo bearing stubby wings and the ludicrous tail-surfaces, the multifarious driving-, braking-, side-, top-, and under-jets so characteristic of the tricky, cranky, but ultra-maneuverable breed.

   • 1944 March, Smith, George Oliver, “Circle of Confusion”, in Astounding Science Fiction, volume 33, number 1, page 54:

     Small flitters were powered and made ready, and everything that carried manual controls was inspected and cleared for action.

   • 1955, Norton (as Andrew North), Alice Mary, Sargasso of Space, page 53:

     The small flitters carried by the Queen for exploration work held with comfort a two-man crew—with crowding, three.

   • 1994, Baxter, Stephen, Ring, ISBN 9780002240260, page 43:

     The flitter tumbled from the shimmering throat of the wormhole transit route from Port Sol to Earthport.

References

• (aircraft): Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530567-8, page 66
• (aircraft): flitter n. at the OED Science Fiction Citations Project

German

Verb

flitter

1. First-person singular present of flittern.
2. Imperative singular of flittern.