Sleek Meaning
/sliːk/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjHaving an even, smooth surface; smooth
adjGlossy.
Sentence Examples
I hear she's a sleek bit of mink.
Not only is the new smartphone sleek and stylish, but it also boasts impressive performance.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cat's ____ fur was so smooth it reflected the light from the window.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new sports car has a ____ design that makes it look very fast even when it is standing still.
Word Origin & History
A late variant of slick; cognate to German schleichen (Old High German slihhan) and Dutch slijk (“mud, slime”). Compare slink.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"So sleek her skin, so faultless was her make."
— 1717, John Dryden, Samuel Garth, et al., “Book 1”, in Metamorphoses, translation of Metamorphoses by Ovid, line 837:
"Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek."
— 1673, John Milton, “Sonnet 11”, in Poems, line 10:
"But if it were like a rabbit that Rosa went, she came back like a weasel or some such sleek and lissom creature."
— 1961, Xavier Herbert, Soldiers' Women, Netley, SA: Fontana Books, published 1978, page 99:
"'Are these the Carrara marbles?' the lady queried. 'Yes, madam,' responded the sleek salesman."
— 1892, The Critic, volume 20, page 229:
"The sloping brush sleeks the surface."
— 1895, The New Technical Educator, page 258:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cat's ____ fur was so smooth it reflected the light from the window.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new sports car has a ____ design that makes it look very fast even when it is standing still.