Where does “kleine” come from?
kleine (Middle Low German) comes from Old Saxon klēni, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī, from Proto-Germanic klainiz, from Proto-Indo-European g(e)lēi-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.
kleine (Middle Low German): small, little; narrow, thin; minor, unimportant
Definitions
- small, little; narrow, thin; minor, unimportant
Ancestry of “kleine”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | klēni | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *klainī | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | klainiz | shining, fine, splendid; tender, precious |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | g(e)lēi- | gleaming |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |
Words derived from “kleine”