Where does “small-scale” come from?

small-scale (English) comes from English scale, from Middle English scale, from Latin scāla, from Latin scandere, from Latin scandō, from Proto-Indo-European sḱend- — to jump up, ascend.

small-scale (English): Having a modest scope or extent; Drawn or...

Definitions

  1. Having a modest scope or extent; Drawn or...

Ancestry of “small-scale”, step by step

small-scale traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English scale

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscaleA ladder; a series of steps; a means of...
2Middle Englishscaleflake
3Latinscālaladder
4Latinscanderethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
5Latinscandōto climb, ascend, mount
6Proto-Indo-Europeansḱend-to jump up, ascend

via English Small

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSmallNot large or big; insignificant; few in number
2Middle EnglishsmalSmall, miniscule; Little, few, scarce; Ground...
3Old Englishsmælnarrow, slim; not broad; slender; not thick;...
4Proto-West Germanicsmalsmall
5Proto-Germanicsmalazsmall
6Proto-Indo-European(s)mal-small; little
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱend-Every word from Latin scandōEvery word from Latin scandere