Sneaky
/ˈsniːki/noun
Given to acting in a secretive, sly, or underhanded way.
Did you know?Sneaky is built on the old English verb *sneak*, which originally meant to creep or slink quietly, and its deeper ancestry is tied to stealthy movement rather than any magical or occult source.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*snegʷ-
“to creep, crawl, or move stealthily”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sneukanan
“to creep, crawl”
Old English
English
snīcan
“to creep, glide, or move stealthily”
Middle English
English
sneken
“to creep or slink about”
16th Century
English
sneaky
“secretive, stealthy, or sly”
Modern English
English
sneaky
“given to acting in a secretive, sly, or underhanded way”