Where does “glee” come from?
glee (Pennsylvania German) comes from Middle High German klee, from Old High German chlēo, from Proto-West Germanic klaiw, from Proto-West Germanic klaiw ~ klaiwiʀi.
glee (Pennsylvania German): small
Definitions
- small
Ancestry of “glee”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | klee | — |
| 2 | Old High German | chlēo | clover |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | klaiw | clover |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | klaiw ~ klaiwiʀi | — |