Where does “smaller” come from?
Smaller comes from Middle English smal, Old English smæl, Proto-Germanic smalaz, and Proto-Indo-European (s)mel-, a root meaning to smear or spread thin.
smaller (English): comparative form of small: more small
Definitions
- comparative form of small: more small
Ancestry of “smaller”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | small | Not large or big; insignificant; few in number;... |
| 2 | Middle English | smal | Small, miniscule; Little, few, scarce; Ground... |
| 3 | Old English | smæl | narrow, slim; not broad; slender; not thick;... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | smal | small |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | smalaz | small |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)mal- | small; little |