Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

slightly

/ˈslaɪtli/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.75 in modern English

Syllables: slight-ly
IPA: /ˈslaɪtli/

15

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Slenderly; delicately.

adv

To a small extent or degree.

Example Sentences

"He was slightly built, but tall."
"He weighed slightly less than his wife who was a foot shorter."
"And while that number is expected to shift back slightly into positive territory over this decade, fewer children today establishes an unmistakable implication for tomorrow: fewer adults available as consumers, workers and taxpayers."

Etymology

Etymology tree English slight Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English slightly From slight + -ly.

Inflected Forms

more slightly (comparative) most slightly (superlative)

Derived Forms

slightily

Phrases

slightly-enriched uranium

Frequently Paired Words

miserably wretchedly degree extent modicum

Synonyms

a little marginally somewhat not much a bit a little bit a mite a smidgen a smidgeon a tad a touch a trifle

Antonyms

quite very almost mostly

Rhymes With

lightly tightly rightly nightly politely brightly unsightly whiteley sprightly knightly whitely forthrightly

Questions

How do you pronounce slightly?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈslaɪtli/.
What does slightly mean?: Slenderly; delicately.
Where does slightly come from?: Etymology tree English slight Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English slightly From slight + -ly.

How to pronounce slightly

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “slightly”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈslaɪtli/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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