Where does “smålig” come from?

smålig (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.

smålig (Norwegian Bokmål): petty

Definitions

  1. petty

Ancestry of “smålig”, step by step

smålig 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 Old Norse smáligr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsesmáligr—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smē- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European smēk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic smēhaz →