- to move or slide or cause to move or slide unsteadily, as on a slippery surface
- (intransitive) to travel with a sliding motion
- a slithering motion
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
slith•er /ˈslɪðɚ/USA pronunciation
v. [no object]
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to move with a sliding motion, such as a snake:to slither quietly out of the room.
- to slide along a surface, esp. unsteadily, from side to side:to slither clumsily down the ski slope.
n. [countable]
- a slithering movement;
slide.
slith•er
(sliᵺ′ər),USA pronunciation v.i.
v.t.
n.
slith′er•y, adj.
- to slide down or along a surface, esp. 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.
v.t.
- to cause to slither or slide.
n.
- a slithering movement;
slide.
- 1150–1200; Middle English slitheren, variant of sliddren, Old English slid(e)rian, frequentative of slīdan to slide; see -er6
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
slither /ˈslɪðə/ vb
'slithering' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):