English Explanatory Dictionary

slither

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To move about smoothly and from side to side.
  2. To slide.
adj
  1. Slithery; slippery.
noun
  1. A limestone rubble.
  2. A sliver.

Pronunciation

/ˈslɪð.əː/ [ˈslɪð.əː] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-slither.wav /ˈslɪð.ɚ/ [ˈslɪð.ɚ] ~ [ˈslɪð.ɹ̩]

Word forms

slither slithers slithering slithered

Etymology

From Middle English slitheren, alteration of slideren (“to slither, creep”), from Old English slidrian (“to slip, slide, slither”), from Proto-West Germanic *slidrōn (“to slide, slither”), from Proto-Indo-European *sleydʰ- (“to slip”), equivalent to slide + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with Dutch slidderen (“to slip, wriggle, slither”), German schlittern (“to slither, skid”). More at slide.

Related words

sliver

Derived words

aslither slitherer slitherlink slithersome slithery Slytherin
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