Askew
/əˈskjuː/noun
Not straight or level; tilted or slanted.
Did you know?Askew comes from a French-rooted idea of being “sideways,” not from anything mystical, but its eerie sound makes it perfect for describing a world that feels subtly out of alignment.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
askew
“sideways; obliquely”
Old French
OF
escheu
“askew; slanting”
Germanic
PGmc
*skeuhwaz
“oblique, crooked”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skeu-
“to bend, turn, or cover”
Modern English
English
askew
“not in a straight or level position”
Explore more surprising origins