adj · adv · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈslʌv.ən.li/
UK:/ˈslʌv.ən.li/
UK:/ˈslɒv.ən.li/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S L AH1 V AH0 N L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having an untidy appearance; unkempt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Dirty, unwashed; disorderly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Careless or negligent; sloppy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
In a slovenly manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
negligent of neatness especially in dress and person; habitually dirty and unkempt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
filled the door with her frowzy bulk
frowzy white hair
slovenly appearance
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: frowsy, frowzy
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English sloven Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-West Germanic *-līk Old English -līċ Middle English -ly English -ly English slovenly From sloven + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
88 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
փնթի
(pʻntʻi)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Azerbaijani:
pinti
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Bulgarian:
развлечен
(razvlečen)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Bulgarian:
разпасан
(razpasan)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Bulgarian:
неугледен
(neugleden)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Czech:
nepořádný
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Dutch:
slordig
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Dutch:
onverzorgd
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Estonian:
lohe
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Estonian:
hoolitsemata
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Finnish:
hoitamaton
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Finnish:
sotkuinen
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Finnish:
epäsiisti
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
French:
négligé
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
French:
dépeigné
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
German:
schluderig
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Hausa:
kucaki
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Hungarian:
rendetlen
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Hungarian:
elhanyagolt
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Italian:
sciatto
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Latvian:
netīrīgs
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Macedonian:
неу́реден
(neúreden)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Macedonian:
ра́спашан
(ráspašan)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Macedonian:
за́пустен
(zápusten)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Māori:
taruweka
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Māori:
hakirara
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Māori:
hakurara
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Polish:
abnegacki
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Portuguese:
mulambento
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Russian:
неря́шливый
(nerjášlivyj)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Russian:
неопря́тный
(neoprjátnyj)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Spanish:
dejado
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Spanish:
desaliñado
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Swedish:
sjabbig
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt
Ottoman Turkish:
پنتی
(pinti)
— having an untidy appearance; unkempt