slither

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈslɪð.ɚ/ UK /ˈslɪð.ə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like sliver /ð/ vs /v/

Freq #38147

Meanings

1

verb
To move smoothly along the ground with a twisting, side-to-side motion, like a snake.

The snake slithered silently through the long grass.
2

verb
To slide or slip unsteadily over a slippery surface.

They slithered down the icy slope, struggling to stay upright.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to move smoothly along the... slide

2 verb · to slide or slip unsteadily... slide

Word family

Forms slitheredslitheringslithers

Derived forms aslitherslithererslitherlinkslithersomeslitheryslytherin

Related forms sliver

Simplified etymology

Slither dates from the Middle English period and is related to slide, sled, sledge, and sleigh.

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.

*sleydʰ- Proto-Indo-European slitheren Middle English slidrian Old English *slidrōn Proto-West Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# slither

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈslɪð.ɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈslɪð.ə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 38147

## Meanings
1. To move smoothly along the ground with a twisting, side-to-side motion, like a snake.
2. To slide or slip unsteadily over a slippery surface.

## Examples
- The snake slithered silently through the long grass.
- They slithered down the icy slope, struggling to stay upright.

## Derived Forms
- aslither
- slitherer
- slitherlink
- slithersome
- slithery
- slytherin

## Related Forms
- sliver

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *sleydʰ-
- Root: slitheren
- Root: slidrian
- Root: *slidrōn

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Slither is 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *sleydʰ- (Proto-Indo-European), slitheren (Middle English), slidrian (Old English), and *slidrōn (Proto-West Germanic). Current senses include to move smoothly along the ground with a twisting, side-to-side motion, like a snake and to slide or slip unsteadily over a slippery surface. The wider family includes derived forms such as aslither, slitherer, slitherlink, slithersome, and slithery; related words such as sliver.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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