Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “kleine” come from?

kleine (Middle High German) comes 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.

Ancestry of “kleine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germankleinismall, fine, slender; soft, clean; smart,...
2Proto-West Germanic*klainī—
3Proto-Germanicklainizshining, fine, splendid; tender, precious
4Proto-Indo-Europeang(e)lēi-gleaming
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

Words derived from “kleine”

  • Kleinberg
  • Selbstverkleinerung
  • Kleinmut
  • klein
  • Kleinfleckkatze
  • Klein
  • kleinlaut
  • kleinmaschig
  • kleinkariert
  • kleinbürgerlich
  • Kleinbürger
  • Kleinwagen
  • Kleinplanet
  • kleindeutsch
  • Verkleinerung
  • kleinkrämerisch
  • Kleinschreibung
  • Verkleinerungsform
  • kleingeistig
  • Kleintier
  • kleinlich
  • Kleine
  • kleiner Finger
  • kleinasiatisch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →