sleight

S1L1E1I1G2H4T1
/slaɪt/

noun

Cunning; craft; artful practice.

Similar
dexteritymanual dexterity
OriginMiddle English sleighte ← Old Norse slœgð ← Proto-Germanic *slōgiþō →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

sleight1

nounsleight (countable and uncountable, plural sleights)

plural sleights

  1. countableuncountableCunning; craft; artful practice.
  2. countableAn artful trick; sly artifice; a feat so dexterous that the manner of performance escapes observation.

    If men have so many sleights to compass their matters, how can the compasser himself hold his fingers?

    1866, Henry Smith, Thomas Fuller, The Sermons of Mr. Henry Smith, page 37
  3. countableuncountableDexterous practice; dexterity; skill.

Sleight2

proper noun
  1. A surname.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounadroitness in using the hands

Similar
dexteritymanual dexterity
Broader
adeptnessadroitnessdeftness
Also see
dexterity

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Germanic*slōgiþō
  2. Old Norseslœgð“cunning”
  3. Middle Englishsleighte
  4. Englishsleight

From Middle English sleighte, sleyght, sleythe, from Old Norse slœgð (“cunning”), from Proto-Germanic *slōgiþō, from *slōgiz (“cunning”) (whence English sly). Doublet of sly and slöjd/sloyd.

More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian ловкост, умение
  • ловкост (lovkost)cunning; craft; artful practice
  • умение (umenie)cunning; craft; artful practice
  • трик (trik)an artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • фокус (fokus)an artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • ловкост (lovkost)dexterous practice; dexterity; skill
German List, Gerissenheit
  • Listcunning; craft; artful practice
  • Gerissenheitcunning; craft; artful practice
  • Raffinementcunning; craft; artful practice
  • Raffinessecunning; craft; artful practice
  • Täuschungcunning; craft; artful practice
  • Trickan artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • Täuschungan artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • Taschenspielertrickan artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • Zaubereian artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • Voltean artful trick; sly artifice; dexterous feat
  • Geschicklichkeitdexterous practice; dexterity; skill
  • Geschickdexterous practice; dexterity; skill

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with sleight

sitecopyrightrightnightlightwritemightquiteflightfightheightdespitetonightbrightsightovernightwrightknightinvitelitebyteslightfinitecite
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

slight
Cite this entry
APA

sleight. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleight

MLA

“sleight.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleight. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sleight,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleight.

Source: sleight on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.