Old High German

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Etymology 1

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From Proto-West Germanic *klainī (brilliantly bright, fine, elegant) (compare Old English clǣne), from Proto-Indo-European *gley- (to stick, smudge).

Alternative forms

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Adjective

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kleini

  1. small, fine, slender
  2. soft, clean
  3. smart, thorough, wise, crafty, keen
  4. costly
Descendants
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Etymology 2

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Nominalization of the above.

Alternative forms

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Noun

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kleinī f

  1. beauty, delicateness, cleanness
  2. experience, cleverness
  3. proof, knowledge, sense
Declension
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Descendants
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