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spriest

 - 5 dictionary results

spri⋅est

  [sprahy-ist]
Use spriest in a Sentence
–adjective
a superlative of spry.

spry

  [sprahy] ,
–adjective, spry⋅er, spry⋅est or spri⋅er, spri⋅est.
active; nimble; agile; energetic; brisk.
Origin:
1740–50; orig. uncert.

Related forms:
spryly, adverb
spryness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To spriest
spri·est   (sprī'ĭst)   
adj.  A superlative of spry.
spry   (sprī)   
adj.   spri·er (sprī'ər) or spry·er, spri·est (sprī'ĭst) or spry·est
Lively, active, and brisk; vigorous.

[Perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialectal sprygg, brisk.]
spry'ly adv., spry'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

spry 
1746, dialectal, perhaps a shortening and alteration of sprightly, or from a Scand. source (cf. O.N. sprækr, dialectal Swed. sprygg "brisk, active"), from P.Gmc. *sprek-, from PIE *(s)preg- "to jerk, scatter" (see sparse).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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