Where does “sleightful” come from?
sleightful (English) comes from English sleight, from Middle English sleighte, from Old Norse slœgð, from Proto-Germanic slōgiþō, from Proto-Germanic slōgiz, from Proto-Indo-European slak- — to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,...
sleightful (English): cunning; dexterous
Definitions
- cunning; dexterous
Ancestry of “sleightful”, step by step
sleightful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sleight
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sleight | Cunning; craft; artful practice; An artful trick;... |
| 2 | Middle English | sleighte | Alternative form of sleight |
| 3 | Old Norse | slœgð | trick, sleight, slyness |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | slōgiþō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | slōgiz | able to strike; sly, cunning, clever |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | slak- | to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,... |
via English ful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ful | — |