silly definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

sil·ly [ síllee ]

adjective (comparative sil·li·er, superlative sil·li·est)

Definition:

1. foolish: lacking common sense

2. trivial: unworthy of serious concern

3. dazed or helpless: in or into a stunned, dazed, or helpless condition

be scared silly

noun (plural sil·lies)

Definition:

foolish person: somebody regarded as lacking in common sense ( informal )

[ Old English sǣlig "happy" < W Germanic, "luck, happiness"]

sil·li·ly adverb

sil·li·ness noun

Word History


	Silly has undergone one of the most astonishing semantic about-faces in the history of the English lexicon. In a thousand years it has gone from "blessed, happy" to "foolish." The transformation began with "blessed" becoming "pious." This led on via "innocent, harmless," "pitiable," and "feeble" to "feeble in mind, foolish." The related German selig retains its original meaning "happy, blessed."