Where does “klen” come from?
klen (Swedish) comes from Middle Low German kleine, 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.
klen (Swedish): weak, feeble
Definitions
- weak, feeble
Ancestry of “klen”, step by step
klen traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Low German kleine
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Low German | kleine | small, little; narrow, thin; minor, unimportant |
| 2 | Old Saxon | klēni | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *klainī | fine, small |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klainiz | shining, fine, splendid; tender, precious |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | g(e)lēi- | gleaming |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |
via Proto-Slavic klenъ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | klenъ | maple |
via Old Norse klénn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | klénn | snug; little, puny |