slippery
English · Thesaurus
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slippery
- /ˈslɪpəɹi/
- /ˈslɪpɹi/
Where it comes from
From Middle English slipperie, an extended form ( + -y) of Middle English slipper, sliper (“slippery”), from Old English slipor (“slippery”), from Proto-Germanic *slipraz (“smooth, slippery”), equivalent to slip + -er. Compare also Middle English slibbri, slubbri (“slippery”) borrowed from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German slibberich (“slippery”). Cognate with German schlüpfrig (“slippery”), Danish slibrig (“slippery”), Swedish slipprig (“slippery”).
adjective slipperier · more slippery · slipperiest · most slippery
-
Of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.
Oily substances render things slippery.
Similar: greasy, slick, slimy, slippy, wet, slithery · Opposite: sticky
- Evasive; difficult to pin down. a slippery person
- Liable to slip; not standing firm. Which when they fall, as being slippery standers, / The love that leaned on them, as slippery too, / Do one pluck down another, and together / Die in the fall.
- Unstable; changeable; inconstant. He looking down With scorn or pity on the slippery state Of kings, will tread upon the neck of fate.
- Wanton; unchaste; loose in morals. My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess –
Similar: glibbery, glidder, gliddery, greasy, lubric, lubricious, lubricous, slabbery, slape, slick, slidder, sliddery, slidey, slidy, slimy, slithery, slippery, slippery as an eel, slippy · Opposite: adhesive, nonslippery, nonslip
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: slipping, slippy, slithery, sliding, slithering, slick, lubricious, nonstick, slimy, tricky, untrustworthy, untrusty, slimed, slide, sloping, slope
Translations
Every language
adj of a surface
| Español | resbaladizo, escurridizo, resbaloso |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 미끄럽다 mikkeureopda |
| 日本語 | 滑りやすい suberiyasui |
| 中文 | 滑 huá |
| हिन्दी | रपटीला rapṭīlā, फिसलाऊ phislāū |
| Português | escorregadio |
| Français | glissant |
| Deutsch | rutschig, glitschig |
| Italiano | scivoloso, sdrucciolevole |
| Ελληνικά | ολισθηρός olisthirós |
| Română | alunecos |
| Русский | ско́льзкий skólʹzkij |
| Tiếng Việt | trơn |
| العربية | زَلِق zaliq |
| עברית | חָלָק khalák, חלקלק khalaklák, מחליק makhlík |
adj evasive; difficult to pin down
| Español | escurridizo |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 滑頭滑腦 /滑头滑脑 huátóuhuánǎo |
| Português | liso |
| Deutsch | aalglatt |
| Русский | увёртливый uvjórtlivyj, ско́льзкий skólʹzkij |
Talk about this word "slippery." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/slippery. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. slippery. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/slippery "slippery." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/slippery.Cite this
@misc{slippery_2026,
title = {slippery},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/slippery},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
