sliver (n.)

"splinter of wood," late 14c., from obsolete verb sliven "to split, cleave," from Old English toslifan "to split, cleave" (see sleave).

Entries linking to sliver

sleave (v.)

"to separate or divide" (threads, strands, fibers), Old English -slæfan, from stem of -slifan "to separate, split, cleave," from Proto-Germanic *slifanan, perhaps related to the root of slip (v.). Compare German Schleife "a loop, knot, noose." Related: Sleaved; sleaving. As a noun, "knotted, tangled silk or thread," 1590s, from the verb; this is the word in Shakespeare's rauel'd Sleeue of Care ("Macbeth").

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updated on October 12, 2013

Definitions of sliver from WordNet

sliver (v.)

divide into slivers or splinters;

Synonyms: splinter

sliver (v.)

break up into splinters or slivers;

Synonyms: splinter

sliver (v.)

form into slivers;

sliver wood

sliver (n.)

a small thin sharp bit or wood or glass or metal;

it broke into slivers

Synonyms: splinter

sliver (n.)

a thin fragment or slice (especially of wood) that has been shaved from something;

Synonyms: paring / shaving

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near sliver

slippery

slipshod

slipstream

slit

slither

sliver

Sloane Square

slob

slobber

slobbery

sloe