/svelt, sfelt/ , adj., svelter, sveltest .
1. slender, esp. gracefully slender in figure; lithe.
2. suave; blandly urbane.
[ 1810-20; svelto exvellitus pulled out (r. L evulsus, ptp. of evellere ), equiv. to L ex- EX- + velli-, var. s. of vellere to pull, pluck + -tus ptp. suffix ]