See also: Klein and kléïn

Afrikaans

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

Inherited from Dutch klein, from Middle Dutch cleine, from Old Dutch cleini, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī.

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /kləi̯n/
  • Audio:(file)

Adjective

edit

klein (attributive klein, comparative kleiner, superlative kleinste)

  1. small, little
    Antonym: groot

Inflection

edit
Inflection of klein
  predicative attributive independent partitive
singular plural
positive klein kleine kleines kleins
comparative kleiner kleinere kleineres kleiners
superlative kleinste kleinstes

Derived terms

edit

Dutch

edit

Etymology

edit

Inherited from Middle Dutch cleine, from Old Dutch cleini, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī.

Pronunciation

edit

Adjective

edit

klein (comparative kleiner, superlative kleinst)

  1. small, little
    Antonym: groot
  2. almost
    Een klein uur.Almost an hour.

Declension

edit
Declension of klein
uninflected klein
inflected kleine
comparative kleiner
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial klein kleiner het kleinst
het kleinste
indefinite m./f. sing. kleine kleinere kleinste
n. sing. klein kleiner kleinste
plural kleine kleinere kleinste
definite kleine kleinere kleinste
partitive kleins kleiners

Derived terms

edit

Descendants

edit
  • Afrikaans: klein
  • Jersey Dutch: klāin
  • Negerhollands: kleen, klen
  • Skepi Creole Dutch: klenk

Anagrams

edit

German

edit

Etymology

edit

Inherited from Middle High German klein, kleine, from Old High German kleini, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (shining, fine, splendid, tender), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gleh₁y- (to cleave, stick).

Cognate with Dutch klein and English clean. Doublet of clean. For a similar semantic development, cf. zierlich (orig. "decorative", today "petite").

Pronunciation

edit

Adjective

edit

klein (strong nominative masculine singular kleiner, comparative kleiner, superlative am kleinsten)

  1. small, little, tiny, wee, small-scale
    • Hänschen klein:
      Hänschen klein / ging allein / in die weite Welt hinein. [nominative neuter]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • L. Uhland, Klein Roland:
      Frau Berta saß in der Felsenkluft, / Sie klagt ihr bitt'res Loos; Klein Roland spielt' in freier Luft; / Deß Klage war nicht groß. [nominative masculine]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1781, J. H. Campe (editor), Kleine Kinderbibliothek, 6th small volume, Hamburg, p. 43 (substantival use):
      Mutter.   O Kleine, darnach frage mich nicht, die werden nie den lieben Gott sehen.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1882, Neuer deutscher Parnaß. Silberblicke aus der Lyrik unserer Tage, edited by Max Moltke, Leipzig, page 282, poem Am Ufer by Pauline Schanz:
      Laß beide uns fliehn zu dem Englein hin, / Damit du nicht werdest, was ich jetzt bin: // Eine arme Mutter, verlassen, allein, / Verstoßen, verhöhnt, mit dem Kindchen klein! [dative neuter]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  2. little, young (in age)
  3. insignificant

Declension

edit

Antonyms

edit

Derived terms

edit
edit

Further reading

edit
  • klein” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • klein” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • klein” in Duden online

Limburgish

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

Inherited from Middle Dutch cleine, from Old Dutch cleini, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī.

Adjective

edit

klein (comparative kleiner, superlative kleins, predicative superlative 't kleins)

  1. small

Inflection

edit

Norwegian

edit

Adjective

edit

klein

  1. feeble, awkward
    Synonyms: ynkelig, stakkarslig
edit