sneaky — doing things secretly and often dishonestly
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: doing things secretly and often dishonestly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsniːki/
Example Sentences
- My cat has a sneaky habit of stealing socks from the laundry basket.
- She had a sneaky suspicion that her roommate was eating her ice cream.
- The politician's sneaky tactics eventually backfired during the election.
sneaky
ADJECTIVE[/ˈsniːki/]
doing things secretly and often dishonestly
The sneaky cat tiptoes past the sleeping dog to steal the fish.
Being sneaky fails when floors are squeaky and pipes are leaky!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from the verb 'sneak', which originates from Old English 'snīcan', meaning 'to creep' or 'to lurk'. The root evokes the image of moving stealthily like a snake, suggesting concealment and furtive motion.
Breakdown
sneak (to move stealthily, creep) + -y (adjective suffix indicating a quality or tendency). The suffix -y transforms the verb into an adjective describing something characterized by sneaking behavior.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat has a sneaky habit of stealing socks from the laundry basket.”
“She had a sneaky suspicion that her roommate was eating her ice cream.”
“The politician's sneaky tactics eventually backfired during the election.”
“He took a sneaky photo of the celebrity at the restaurant.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.