Where does “cleine” come from?

cleine (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch cleini, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī, from Proto-Germanic klainiz, from Proto-Indo-European g(e)lēi-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

cleine (Middle Dutch): small; short; unimportant

Definitions

  1. small; short; unimportant

Ancestry of “cleine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchcleinismall
2Proto-West Germanic*klainīfine, small
3Proto-Germanicklainizshining, fine, splendid; tender, precious
4Proto-Indo-Europeang(e)lēi-gleaming
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

Words derived from “cleine”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →