flitting
Bustling or darting around without settling.
Also called flittin', flit.
Updated September 21, 2026
flitting pronunciation
/FLIT-in/
Meaning
Means moving light and quick from spot to spot. A wren flitting around the porch. Mama flitting through the kitchen before company comes. Can sound fond or a little scolding, depending on the tone. Older Scots-Irish talk also used flit for moving house, and that sense still shows up in some mountain and Pennsylvania speech.
How folks use it
- “She's been flitting around that kitchen since daylight.”
- “Them kids won't sit still. They just keep flitting from the porch to the creek.”
Origin and etymology
From older English and Scots flit, to move lightly or change place. Scots and Ulster Scots kept a strong sense of moving house (a flitting). Appalachian talk inherited both the restless-moving sense and, in places, the household-move sense from that Scots-Irish line.
Frequently asked questions
Can flitting mean moving to a new house?
Yes in older Scots-Irish and some mountain talk. Most everyday Southern use now means darting or bustling about.