skelly

skelly · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)kel-“to bend; crook”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*skelhaz
3. Proto-Germanic · derived from*skilgijaną“to squint”
4. Old Norse · derived from*skjelga
5. English todayskelly

Probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse *skjelga ("to squint"; found only in the reflexive skjelgask (“to come askew; squint the eyes”)), from Proto-Germanic *skilgijaną (“to squint”), from Proto-Germanic *skelhaz, *skelhwaz, *skelgaz (“slanted; sloping; squinting”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel- (“to bend; crook”). Compare Danish skele (“to squint”), Swedish skela (“to squint”), Scots skellie, scalie, skellice (“to squint; look to the side”), German schielen (“to squint”).

skelly · noun²

From a clipping of skeleton + -y (diminutive suffix).

skelly · noun³

Variant of skully.

Skelly · proper noun⁴

Variant of Scally.

Words from the same roots