schlicht

Chiefly Low German, also to a lesser degree Central German variant of schlecht. From Middle Low German slicht and northern Middle High German sliht (both “flat, straight, simple”), from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz, which see for cognates. Since the Late Middle Ages, schlecht/schlicht developed the sense “bad”, which became predominant over time, but did not displace the original one entirely. By the 17th century, attempts were made to reserve the i-variant specifically to the older meaning, but the