Where does “sly” come from?

sly (Middle English) comes from Old Norse slǿgr, from Proto-Germanic slōgiz, from Proto-Indo-European slak- — to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,...

sly (Middle English): Judicious, considered, shrewd; having or...

Definitions

  1. Judicious, considered, shrewd; having or...

Ancestry of “sly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseslǿgrcrafty, cunning, sly
2Proto-Germanicslōgizable to strike; sly, cunning, clever
3Proto-Indo-Europeanslak-to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,...

Words derived from “sly”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European slak- →Every word from Proto-Germanic slōgiz →Every word from Old Norse slǿgr →
sly — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer