Where does “Kleinlichkeit” come from?

Kleinlichkeit (German) comes from German kleinlich, from German klein, from Middle High German klein, from Old High German kleini, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī, from Proto-Germanic klainiz, from Proto-Indo-European g(e)lēi-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

Kleinlichkeit (German): pettiness

Definitions

  1. pettiness

Ancestry of “Kleinlichkeit”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankleinlichpetty, small-minded
2Germankleinsmall, little, tiny, wee, small-scale; little,...
3Middle High Germanklein
4Old High Germankleinismall, fine, slender; soft, clean; smart,...
5Proto-West Germanic*klainīfine, small
6Proto-Germanicklainizshining, fine, splendid; tender, precious
7Proto-Indo-Europeang(e)lēi-gleaming
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel-