Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “smal” come from?

smal (Middle English) comes from Old English smæl, from Proto-West Germanic smal, from Proto-Germanic smalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)mal- — small; little.

smal (Middle English): Small, miniscule; Little, few, scarce; Ground...

Definitions

  1. Small, miniscule; Little, few, scarce; Ground...

Ancestry of “smal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishsmælnarrow, slim; not broad; slender; not thick;...
2Proto-West Germanicsmalsmall
3Proto-Germanicsmalazsmall
4Proto-Indo-European(s)mal-small; little

Words derived from “smal”

  • small
  • smaller
  • smallpox
  • smallness
  • smallish
  • smallmouth
  • smalltown
  • nonsmall
  • Smallville
  • smalls
  • smalltime
  • ultrasmall
  • smallclothes
  • smally
  • smallsword
  • supersmall
  • smallie
  • smallgoods
  • besmall
  • oversmall
  • antismallpox
  • smallcapped
  • smallball
  • smallfolk
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)mal- →