An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schlicht

by Friedrich Kluge

schlicht, adj., ‘plain, homely, honest,’ ModHG. only, formed to represent the meanings of MidHG. slëht (see schlecht), which became obsolete in ModHG. schlecht, from the MidHG. and OHG. vb. slihten, ‘to make plain, smooth over,’ and the MidHG. abstract form slihte, f., ‘straightforwardness’; comp. OHG. slihten, ‘to make plain,’ slihtî, allied to slëht, ‘straight, even.’