slither

[ slith -er ]
/ ˈslɪð ər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR slither ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to slide down or along a surface, especially unsteadily, from side to side, or with some friction or noise: The box slithered down the chute.
to go or walk with a sliding motion: The snake slithered across the path.

verb (used with object)

to cause to slither or slide.

noun

a slithering movement; slide.

Origin of slither

1150–1200; Middle English slitheren, variant of sliddren, Old English slid(e)rian, frequentative of slīdan to slide; see -er6

OTHER WORDS FROM slither

slith·er·y, adjective

Words nearby slither

slit, slit fricative, slit pocket, slit trench, slit-drum, slither, slithery, slitlamp, sliven, sliver, sliver building

Words related to slithery

glossy, greasy, icy, lubricious, oily, oleaginous, shiny, sleek, slippery, soapy, sleeky

Example sentences from the Web for slithery

  • So we hastened to the stable yard and inspected the kennels, where the two mothers lay with their slithery tail-wagging broods.

    The Mountebank |William J. Locke

  • Up we went another twenty yards, then another; but always to find that slithery rock-face mocking our efforts to outflank it.

    Unexplored Spain |Abel Chapman

  • Then came the sound of a hearty greeting in a masculine voice, followed by a slithery sound of wet clothing.

    The Outdoor Girls at Bluff Point |Laura Lee Hope

British Dictionary definitions for slithery (1 of 2)

slithery
/ (ˈslɪðərɪ) /

adjective -ier or -iest

moving with a slithering motion
suggestive of a slithering creature

British Dictionary definitions for slithery (2 of 2)

slither
/ (ˈslɪðə) /

verb

to move or slide or cause to move or slide unsteadily, as on a slippery surface
(intr) to travel with a sliding motion

noun

a slithering motion

Word Origin for slither

Old English slidrian, from slīdan to slide