Small in degree, amount, or intensity; barely noticeable or of minor importance. Emphasizes the minimal nature of something rather than its complete absence.
From Old Norse 'sléttr' meaning 'smooth, level, even.' The word evolved from describing physical smoothness to describing things that are minimal or barely perceptible, maintaining the sense of something almost undetectable.
Originally meaning 'smooth' or 'level,' the word evolved to mean 'small' because smooth things have minimal irregularities - so a 'slight' difference is one that's so small it's almost smooth or undetectable!
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