leery

1
[ leer-ee ]
/ ˈlɪər i /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR leery ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, leer·i·er, leer·i·est.

wary; suspicious (usually followed by of): I'm leery of his financial advice.
Archaic. knowing; alert.

Origin of leery

1
First recorded in 1790–1800; leer1 + -y1

OTHER WORDS FROM leery

leer·i·ly, adverb leer·i·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH leery

wary weary leery

Words nearby leery

leeds, leeds castle, leek, leek-green, leer, leery, lees, lees summit, leesburg, leet, leetspeak

Words related to leeriness

disbelief, doubt, misdoubt, misgiving, mistrust, qualm, question, skepticism, suspicion, wariness

British Dictionary definitions for leeriness

leery

leary

/ (ˈlɪərɪ) /

adjective leerier, leeriest, learier or leariest

mainly dialect knowing or sly
slang (foll by of) suspicious or wary
slang rowdy or boisterous

Derived forms of leery

leeriness or leariness, noun

Word Origin for leery

C18: perhaps from obsolete sense (to look askance) of leer