Etymologically
Log in

klein

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 21 October 2026 at 15:25. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

Forms

klein (comparative kleiner, superlative kleinst)[1] In elevated and poetic language, and in West Flemish and Brabant dialects, the form kleen is used.[2] A form klien was once general in Holland and survives in Zaan dialect compounds.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch cleine, inherited from Old Dutch klēni, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *klainī, inherited from Proto-Germanic *klainja- (“fine, pure”).[3][1][4] The adjective is found only in West Germanic: Old Saxon klēni (“fine, slender, clever”), Old High German kleini (“pure, neat, delicate, slight”) (modern German klein), Old Frisian klēne (“small”) and Old English clǣne (“pure”) (modern English clean).[3][5][4] Middle Dutch had both ⟨cleine⟩ and ⟨clêne⟩.[3][6]

Its further origin is unclear, since no certain cognates outside Germanic exist.[3] The usual view is that it first meant “shining”, which led to “clean” on one side and to “neat, fine” and then “small” on the other.[3][5][7] On this view it has been linked with a single gloss in Hesychius, Ancient Greek γλαινοί (glainoí, “glittering ornaments”) and a root Proto-Indo-European *gelH-, but one gloss is weak evidence.[3][5][8] Others, Kroonen among them, derive it from the root of Old Norse klína (“to smear”) and Old High German klenan (“to smear, glue”), which is also that of klei “clay”, with the sense “smeared, polished”.[3][4][9] Wiktionary also notes a proposal that it is a borrowing from a pre-Germanic language.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Egmond Williram of about 1100 speaks of one who rises from the desert like eyn cleyna riuchgerda uone mirron, a little bundle of myrrh,[10][3] and a text from Werden of about 1151 has beithe groz ande cleine, “both great and small”.[10] The adjective appears in the Gelderland place name Cleinhurst in 1130.[10] In Middle Dutch cleine first occurs in 1220–1240 in the sense “slight”, in a line saying the count would gain very little from it.[3][11]

Semantic evolution

The older sense “fine” still occurs in Middle Dutch, as in wood arde cleene “very finely ground” in 1287, but already in the 13th century clene mostly means “small, slight, of little importance” and contrasts with groot.[3][11] Dutch made this change earlier than German, where klein meant “neat, dainty” for a long time.[3] The old meaning survives in kleinood “jewel”, borrowed from German, and in the phrase klein maar rein, “small but neat”.[3][7][2] Many dialects use the word for “thin, frail, weak”.[2]

Een kleine boodschap doen, literally to run a small errand, is a children's euphemism for passing water.[12][13] On fishing boats de kleine was a small anchor (1790).[2] Danish, Norwegian and Swedish took the adjective from Dutch or Low German (Swedish klen “weak, sickly”).[14][3] It was also borrowed into Negerhollands (kleen) and Skepi Dutch, and Sranan Tongo klèine means “urine”.[14]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Old Dutch cleyna “small” in the Egmond Williram.[10][3]
  • 1130 – The place name Cleinhurst in Gelderland.[10]
  • 1220–1240 – Middle Dutch cleine “slight, little”.[3][7]
  • 1240 – A Limburg glossary renders Latin posticium with clene posteken, a small back door.[11]
  • 1287 – Arde cleene “very fine” of ground wood.[3][11]
  • 1790 – De kleine, a small anchor, in fishermen's language.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. small, little: of less than average size.[13][1]
  2. Young: van kleins af aan, from early childhood.[13]
  3. Small in number or amount: een kleine groep.[13]
  4. Unimportant, insignificant, slight.[13][15]
  5. petty, narrow-minded.[13]
  6. Before a number or amount: just under, almost: het kost een klein tientje.[1][15]

Word family

  • kleineren
  • kleinigheid
  • verkleinen
  • kleinkind
  • kleinzoon
  • kleindochter
  • kleingeld
  • kleingeestig
  • kleinhandel
  • kleinkunst
  • kleinschalig
  • kleinburgerlijk
  • kleinzielig
  • piepklein

Usage notes

The proverb klein gemaakt is gauw geraakt says that short people are easily offended.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
  4. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum
  7. ^ a b c Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
  8. ^ Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  9. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  10. ^ a b c d e Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
  11. ^ a b c d Pijnenburg, W. J. J., et al. (2001), Vroegmiddelnederlands woordenboek: woordenboek van het Nederlands van de dertiende eeuw in hoofdzaak op basis van het Corpus-Gysseling, Leiden: Instituut voor Nederlandse Lexicologie; gtb.ivdnt.org
  12. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  13. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  14. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  15. ^ a b WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org