Learn English – What does ‘a slither of’ mean

meaning-in-context

While reading a book, I came across this sentence:

[…], finishing with a slither of lemon tart or apple cake.

Looking up the word slither I didn't get any satisfying results.

On OALD I found the definition of "to slither" which means to move forwards either in a smooth way (to slide) or uncontrolled (to glide).

In the given sentence this would only make sense if it's about how smooth this lemon tart goes down the gullet. But I don't think that it is meant like this. Moreover, wouldn't it be "a slithering lemon tart"?!

Thinking about the sentence and what it could be I'm assuming that it could mean "a part of", but I don't find any proof.

So, which is the correct meaning of "a slither of" and which words are best synonyms for it?

Best Answer

This is a misspelling of sliver

any small, narrow piece or portion

So a slither of lemon tart or apple cake really means a sliver of lemon tart or apple cake. It is implying a thin slice of the cake or pie.

Apparently this mistake has made it into common parlance, as attested by this entry from oxforddictionaries.com

Slither noun - a sliver

As we can see from the origin of slither

O.E. slidrian "to slide on a loose slope," a frequentative form of slidan "to slide" (see slide). Meaning "to walk in a sliding manner" is attested from 1848. In ref. to reptile motion, attested from 1839. Related: Slithered; slithering.

when compared to the origin of sliver

late 14c., from obsolete verb sliven "to split, cleave," from O.E. toslifan "to split, cleave," from P.Gmc. *slifanan.

They are not related. It isn't until the beginning of the 1900s that slither appears where sliver should, in writing.

"slither of" vs "sliver of" NGram