Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sleekit” come from?

sleekit (English) comes from Scots sleekit, from Scots sleek, from English slick, from Middle English slicke, from Old English slīc, from Proto-Germanic slīkaz, from Proto-Indo-European sleyǵ- — to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to...

sleekit (English): Specious, flattering; cunning

Definitions

  1. Specious, flattering; cunning

Ancestry of “sleekit”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Scotssleekitslick, smooth, glossy; cunning, sly, crafty;...
2Scotssleeksleek; to sleek
3EnglishslickSlippery or smooth due to a covering of liquid;...
4Middle Englishslicke—
5Old Englishslīcsleek, smooth; crafty, cunning, slick
6Proto-Germanicslīkazslick, smooth; sleek, smooth
7Proto-Indo-Europeansleyǵ-to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sleyǵ- →