aslant

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*slintaną“to slide; to slip”
2. Old Norse · derived fromslent
3. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*h₂en-“on, on to”
4. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*an“on, upon; on to”
5. Old English · inherited fromon
6. Middle English · inherited fromaslant
7. English todayaslant

The adverb is derived from Middle English aslant, aslante (“at an angle, in a curve; from the side; (figurative) deviously”), from on slant (“at an angle, obliquely”), from on (“above and touching (something), on; at (a place or position); etc.”, preposition) (from Old English on, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *an (“on, upon; on to”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, on to”)) + slant, slante (“incline, slant”, noun) (probably from Old Norse slent, from Proto-Germanic *slintaną (“to slide; to slip”)). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’ denoting a condition, manner, or state) + slant. The adjective and preposition are derived from the adverb.

Words from the same roots