Standard Lemma guide

weaselly

adj · 2 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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1

adj

Meaning 1

Resembling a weasel (in appearance).

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

Devious; cunning; misleading; sneaky.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1864, W. S. Gilbert, “Sixty-Three and Sixty-Four” originally published in Fun, V (2 January 1864), p. 162, later published in Bab Ballads, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1970, p. 37, With intellect weaselly, artist has easily earned all his bacon and greens by it, And now that it’s done and all ready for Fun, it’s my duty to say what he means by it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *wisulǭ Proto-West Germanic *wisulā Old English weosule Middle English wēsele English weasel Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English weaselly From weasel + -y.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: firuza — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • Esperanto: trompema — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • Esperanto: ruza — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • French: sournois — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • German: verschlagen — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • German: wieselig — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • Yiddish: כיטרע (khitre) — devious, cunning, sneaky
  • Yiddish: ממזריש (mamzerish) — devious, cunning, sneaky