An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/schlecht

by Friedrich Kluge

schlecht, adjective, ‘bad, base, mean,’ from Middle High German slëht, adjective, ‘honest, straight, smooth, simple, clear, correct,’ Old High German slëht, ‘straight, even, honest, simple, gentle, friendly’; corresponding to Gothic slaíhts, ‘even, straight,’ Old Icelandic sléttr, ‘straight, even, smooth, gentle,’ Old Frisian sliacht, ‘honest, simple’; Dutch slecht, ‘honest, bad.’ Middle English and English slight, since the Anglo-Saxon word is not recorded, is probably a Dutch loan-word. The meanings are evolved from ‘straight, even, simple’ (see schlicht and schlichten), and has led in Modern High German to a peculiar development in malam partem. The origin of the common Teutonic adjective (or to-participle?) *slehta- is obscure; it cannot, on account of its form and meaning, be connected with schlagen; Greek ὀλίγος, ‘trifling,’ does not suit the earlier meaning, ‘straight, even, simple.’