Where does “slight” come from?
Slight comes from Middle English slight, Old English sliht, Proto-Germanic slihtaz and slahaną, and Proto-Indo-European slak-, with ultimate origins in a root meaning to strike or slay.
slight (English): Small; of slender build; Even, smooth or level
Definitions
- Small; of slender build; Even, smooth or level
Ancestry of “slight”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | slight | Level, even, smooth; having no bumps or lumps; Of... |
| 2 | Old English | sliht | level; smooth; a striking; a stroke; flash |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | slihtaz | slippery; smooth; flat; level |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | slīkaną | to slide, to slip |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sleyǵ- | to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to... |