Sly
/slaɪ/noun
Cunning or deceitful in a clever way.
Did you know?In Old Norse, 'sly' was connected to ‘slyðr’, meaning ‘sly or cunning’, often used to describe creatures in folklore that deceived and tricked humans.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sliwaz
“Characterized by a cunning or crafty nature.”
Old English
OE
sly
“Cunning, secretive, often with a sense of craftiness.”
Middle English
ME
sly
“Cunning, deceitful, or crafty, often with implications of trickery.”
Modern English
Eng
sly
“Cunning or deceitful in a clever way, often implying a hidden agenda.”