Where does “småjente” come from?

småjente (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Norwegian Bokmål små, from Old Norse smár, from Proto-Germanic smēhaz, from Proto-Indo-European smēk-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.

småjente (Norwegian Bokmål): a little girl

Definitions

  1. a little girl

Ancestry of “småjente”, step by step

småjente traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Bokmål små

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålsmåsmall; plural of liten
2Old Norsesmársmall
3Proto-Germanicsmēhazsmall; little
4Proto-Indo-Europeansmēk-beard; chin
5Proto-Indo-Europeansmē-to rub; smear

via Norwegian Bokmål jente

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmåljentea girl
2Old Norsegentagirl, lass
3Old Norsegantjoke, foolery
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smē- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European smēk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic smēhaz →