Sleigh Came to English Through New York Dutch
A sleigh is a horse-drawn vehicle on runners. English took the word from Dutch settlers in America, which is why it entered late and looks odd.
A sleigh is a large vehicle on runners, usually pulled by horses. Britain already had *sledge*, so the word arrived by another road entirely: Dutch settlers in New Netherland used *slee*, and American English borrowed it in the 1700s before sending it back across the Atlantic. The spelling with -eigh is an English invention, matching *weigh* and *neigh*.
- A horse-drawn runner vehicle. *A one-horse open sleigh.*
- Verb, to ride in one. *They sleighed through the pines.*
- Sleigh bells — bells on the harness. *Sleigh bells ring.*
- Sleigh ride — the outing. *A moonlit sleigh ride.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | sleigh | A painted sleigh. |
| Plural | sleighs | Two sleighs. |
| Verb | sleigh | They sleighed to town. |
| Compound | sleigh bell | Sleigh bells. |
| Dutch source | slee | A Dutch sledge. |
- The sleigh runners hissed over hard snow.Descriptive.
- Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh.From Jingle Bells, 1857.
- Father Christmas travels by sleigh.The image that keeps the word alive.
Dutch words in American English
- Sleigh — from *slee*
- Cookie — from *koekje*, little cake
- Boss — from *baas*, master
- Coleslaw — from *koolsla*, cabbage salad
- Stoop — the steps in front of a house, from *stoep*
Dutch *slee*, a shortened form of *slede*, from the same root as *slide* and *sledge*. It entered American English around 1700 and reached Britain later.
What is the difference between a sleigh and a sledge?
A sleigh is usually larger, horse-drawn and carries passengers. A sledge is the general word, and often something you pull yourself.
Why is it spelled sleigh?
The spelling was fitted to English patterns like weigh and neigh. The Dutch original is slee.