Sly

Pronunciation

• IPA: /slaɪ/
• Rhymes: -aɪ

Alternative forms

• sligh obsolete

Origin

From Middle English sly, sley, from Old Norse slǣgr, slœgr ("sly, cunning", literally capable of hitting or striking), from Proto-Germanic *slōgiz ("lively, agile, cunning, sly, striking"), from Proto-Indo-European *slak- ("to hit, throw"). Cognate with Icelandic slægur ("crafty, sly"), Norwegian Nynorsk sløg ("sly"), German schlau ("clever, crafty"). Related to sleight, slay.

Adjective

1. Artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.
2. Dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice; nimble; skillful; cautious; shrewd; knowing; — in a good sense.
3. Done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy; subtle; as, a sly trick.
4. Light or delicate; slight; thin.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Full definition of sly

Adverb

1. Slyly.

Anagrams

• YLS