Flexible, pliant, or limber; able to bend without breaking.
From Old English 'clythe' or related to 'clothe,' possibly influenced by similar words in Germanic languages. Rare archaic word.
While modern English largely abandoned this word, it's actually what the Scots kept alive—'clithe' describes that perfect quality of bamboo or willow branches that bend but don't snap, which is exactly what ancient craftspeople needed.
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