nițel

Romanian

Etymology

Unknown. Possibly of expressive origin. Various etymologies have been proposed but are insufficient: starting from the feminine form (which is irregular; the expected form is *nițea) one suggests a change of suffix from an earlier root *nițic(a), from a Romance formation derived from Latin nec + ciccum (“nothing”) (cf. Spanish chico, also Lazio dialect na cicade, Italian cica, Logudorese Sardinian ticcu, Calabrian zica, nazica, Cilentan dialect tsiku, etc. Another derives it from Albanian në cikë (“few”), and another from puținel, a diminutive of puțin (“few, little”) with the suffix -el, with apheresis to *ținel, and with metathesis to the current form.

Adverb

nițel

1. a little

Adjective

nițel (feminine singular nițică, masculine plural niței, feminine plural nițele)

(determiner)

1. little, few, small amount of

See also

• puțin