Where does “smalamaður” come from?

smalamaður (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic smali, from Old Norse smali, from Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic smalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)mal- — small; little.

smalamaður (Icelandic): shepherd

Definitions

  1. shepherd

Ancestry of “smalamaður”, step by step

smalamaður traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic smali

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicsmalilivestock; herder, herdsman; someone who gathers...
2Old Norsesmalilivestock
3Old Norsesmalrsmall
4Proto-Germanicsmalazsmall
5Proto-Indo-European(s)mal-small; little

via Icelandic maður

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicmaðurhuman being, person, humanity, mankind; man,...
2Old Norsemaðrhuman, man, person; degree
3Proto-Germanic*mann-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmen-to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)mal- →Every word from Proto-Germanic smalaz →Every word from Old Norse smalr →