Where does “Kleindeutschland” come from?
Kleindeutschland (German) comes from German Deutschland, from Middle High German Diutschlant, from Middle High German diutsc, from Old High German diutisc, from Proto-West Germanic þiudisk, from Proto-Germanic þiudiskaz, from Proto-Germanic þeudō, from Proto-Indo-European tewtéh₂ — to swell; to crowd; to be strong.
Kleindeutschland (German): “Lesser Germany”, a hypothetical German state envisioned in the March Revolution of 1848–49 that excluded Austria
Definitions
- “Lesser Germany”, a hypothetical German state envisioned in the March Revolution of 1848–49 that excluded Austria
Ancestry of “Kleindeutschland”, step by step
Kleindeutschland traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Deutschland
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Deutschland | Germany above all, above all in the world;... |
| 2 | Middle High German | Diutschlant | — |
| 3 | Middle High German | diutsc | German, Germanic |
| 4 | Old High German | diutisc | Alternative form of diutisk; popular, vernacular;... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | þiudisk | of the people, popular, vernacular |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | þiudiskaz | of the people, popular; of the tribe |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | þeudō | people, tribe |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | tewtéh₂ | people, tribe |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | tewh₂- | to swell; to crowd; to be strong |
via German klein
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | klein | small, little, tiny, wee, small-scale; little,... |
| 2 | Middle High German | klein | — |
| 3 | Old High German | kleini | small, fine, slender; soft, clean; smart,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *klainī | fine, small |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | klainiz | shining, fine, splendid; tender, precious |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | g(e)lēi- | gleaming |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |