slippery
/ˈslɪpəɹi/ adjective
Forms slipperier slipperiest
- adjective 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.”
- adjective (figuratively, by extension) Evasive; difficult to pin down. “a slippery person”
- adjective (obsolete) Liable to slip; not standing firm.
- adjective Unstable; changeable; inconstant.
- adjective (obsolete) Wanton; unchaste; loose in morals.
Synonyms
greasy slick slimy slippy wet slithery glibbery glidder gliddery lubric lubricious lubricous slabbery slape slidder sliddery slidey slidy slippery as an eel tricky
Antonyms
Etymology
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Having the quality opposite to adhesiveness; allowing or causing anything to slip or move smoothly, rapidly, and easily upon the surface; smooth; glib; as, oily substances render things slippery.
- adjective Not affording firm ground for confidence; as, a slippery promise.
Etymology [See Slipper, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “slippery”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details