Slinken
/ˈslɪŋ.kən/noun
An archaic or Middle English form of slink, meaning to move stealthily, crawl, or sneak away.
Did you know?The word belongs to an old Germanic family of creeping and sliding motion, preserving a linguistic image of stealth rather than speed or strength.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*slenk-
“A reconstructed root associated with creeping, crawling, or moving sluggishly; the connection is considered probable rather than certain.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*slinkaną
“To creep or move stealthily.”
Old English
Old English
slincan
“To creep, crawl, or move stealthily.”
Middle English
Middle English
slinken
“To creep, sneak, or move away furtively; an infinitive form related to modern slink.”
Modern English
English
slink
“To move quietly and furtively, especially while trying to avoid notice.”