Sly

How to spell sly

3 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce sly

What does sly mean?

1. adjectiveClever in a secretive or deceitful way, often hiding one's true intentions.

Sly in a sentence

• The sly salesman buried the extra fees deep in the contract.

• She gave a sly smile when nobody noticed her taking the last seat.

Where does sly come from?

Language of origin: Old Norse

This word entered English in the twelfth or thirteenth century from Old Norse, where the adjective slǣgr meant 'cunning' or 'clever', and was originally connected to the verb meaning 'to strike' or 'to hit', since a skilled smith who could strike well was thought of as clever and able. The Norse-speaking settlers in northern England brought the word with them, and early Middle English used it in the neutral sense of 'skilful' or 'wise'. Over time the meaning narrowed and darkened, so that the cleverness became the secretive, underhanded sort rather than honest skill. The same Germanic root that gave 'sly' its sense of striking also lies behind the word 'sleight', as in 'sleight of hand', which still preserves that idea of a deft, hidden trick. The spelling is short and phonetic, but the silent connection to 'slay' and 'sleight' reminds us why the cluster keeps the long 'y' sound.

How the word is built

• sly (single root, from Old Norse slǣgr: cunning, clever)