The Captain’s Log

Toplevel | Pontifications of The Great and Terrible Captain Cucamunga.

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 08:50:13 EDT

Sleight Versus Slight

Sleight
The adjective sleight originally meant wise or prudent. Over time, the meaning of sleight skewed to shrewd or clever. The adjective sly shares its Old Norse origin with that of sleight.
Slight
The adjective slight orignally meant flat or smooth. Over time, the meaning of slight changed to diminutive. The adjectives slick and sleek share their origins with that of slight, probably a Scandinavian source.