smal

See also: smàl, smál, smäl, and smæl

Danish

Etymology

From late Old Norse smalr (“little”), from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smal/, [smalˀ]

Adjective

smal

1. narrow, thin
2. slim, slender

Inflection

Inflection of smal

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	smal	smallere	smallest2
indefinite neuter singular	smalt	smallere	smallest2
plural	smalle	smallere	smallest2
definite attributive1	smalle	smallere	smalleste

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch smal, from Old Dutch smal, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Cognate with English small, German schmal, Old Norse smalr, Gothic 𐍃𐌼𐌰𐌻𐍃 (smals).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smɑl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: smal
• Homophone: Smal
• Rhymes: -ɑl

Adjective

smal (comparative smaller, superlative smalst)

1. narrow
2. small

Declension

Declension of smal
uninflected	smal
inflected	smalle
comparative	smaller
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		smal	smaller	het smalst het smalste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	smalle	smallere	smalste
	n. sing.	smal	smaller	smalste
	plural	smalle	smallere	smalste
definite		smalle	smallere	smalste
partitive		smals	smallers	—

Derived terms

• smal longkruid
• smal vlieszaad
• smalbuikje
• smalheid
• smalle ijzervaren
• smalle weegbree
• smalte
• versmallen

Descendants

• Negerhollands: smaal, smal
• → Papiamentu: smal

Anagrams

• mals

Irish

Verb

smal (present analytic smalann, future analytic smalfaidh, verbal noun smaladh, past participle smalta)

1. Ulster form of smol (“to blight”)

Conjugation

Conjugation of smal (first conjugation – A)

indicative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present	smalaim	smalann tú; smalair†	smalann sé, sí	smalaimid; smalann muid	smalann sibh	smalann siad; smalaid†	a smalann; a smalas	smaltar
past	smal mé; smalas	smal tú; smalais	smal sé, sí	smalamar; smal muid	smal sibh; smalabhair	smal siad; smaladar	a smal	smaladh
past habitual	smalainn	smaltá	smaladh sé, sí	smalaimis; smaladh muid	smaladh sibh	smalaidís; smaladh siad	a smaladh	smaltaí
	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
future	smalfaidh mé; smalfad	smalfaidh tú; smalfair†	smalfaidh sé, sí	smalfaimid; smalfaidh muid	smalfaidh sibh	smalfaidh siad; smalfaid†	a smalfaidh; a smalfas	smalfar
conditional	smalfainn	smalfá	smalfadh sé, sí	smalfaimis; smalfadh muid	smalfadh sibh	smalfaidís; smalfadh siad	a smalfadh	smalfaí
subjunctive	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present	go smala mé; go smalad†	go smala tú; go smalair†	go smala sé, sí	go smalaimid; go smala muid	go smala sibh	go smala siad; go smalaid†	—	go smaltar
past	dá smalainn	dá smaltá	dá smaladh sé, sí	dá smalaimis; dá smaladh muid	dá smaladh sibh	dá smalaidís; dá smaladh siad	—	dá smaltaí
imperative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
—	smalaim	smal	smaladh sé, sí	smalaimis	smalaigí; smalaidh†	smalaidís	—	smaltar
past participle	smalta
verbal noun	smaladh

^† archaic or dialect form
^‡ dependent form

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English smæl, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz.

Alternative forms

• smale, smalle, smel, smæl, small

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smal/, /smaːl/

Adjective

smal (plural and weak singular smale, comparative smalre, superlative smalest)

1. Small, minuscule.
2. Little, few, scarce.
3. Ground finely, not coarse.
4. Of no worth, unimportant.

Descendants

• English: small

  Geordie: sma'

• Scots: sma'
• Yola: smaale, small

References

• “smā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 23 February 2018.

Etymology 2

Noun

smal

1. (Early Middle English) alternative form of smel

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Adjective

smal (neuter singular smalt, definite singular and plural smale, comparative smalere, indefinite superlative smalest, definite superlative smaleste)

1. narrow (having a small width)
2. slim (waist etc.)

Antonyms

• bred

Derived terms

• langsmal
• smalspor, smalsporet

Related terms

• smalne

References

• “smal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Adjective

smal (neuter singular smalt, definite singular and plural smale, comparative smalare, indefinite superlative smalast, definite superlative smalaste)

1. narrow (having a small width)
2. slim (waist etc.)

Derived terms

• langsmal
• smalspor

References

• “smal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *smalaz.

Adjective

smal

1. small

Inflection

Declension of smal (a-stem)

strong declension
case	masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
nominative	smal	smal	smal	smala, smale
accusative	smalan, smalen	smala	smal	smala, smale
genitive	smales	smalero	smales	smalero
dative	smalin, smalemo	smalero	smalin, smalemo	smalon
weak declension
case	masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
nominative	smalo	smala	smala	smalon
accusative	smalon	smalon	smala	smalon
genitive	smalin	smalon	smalin	smalono
dative	smalin	smalon	smalin	smalon

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: smal

Further reading

• “smal”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *smal, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz, whence also Old English smæl, Old Norse smalr.

Adjective

smal

1. small

Descendants

• Middle High German: smal
  • Bavarian: schmål, schmoi
  • German: schmal
  • Hunsrik: schmaal
  • Luxembourgish: schmuel
  • Vilamovian: śmoł
  • Yiddish: שמאָל (shmol)

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Dutch smal.

Adjective

smal

1. narrow

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsmal/
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: smal

Verb

smal

1. second-person singular imperative of smalić

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish smal, from Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

smal (comparative smalare, superlative smalast)

1. not wide, narrow

   Antonym: bred

   att gå den smala vägen

   to walk the narrow road

2. slim, slender, thin (of a person or body part, fairly neutral in itself)

   Antonyms: tjock, fet

Declension

Inflection of smal

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	smal	smalare	smalast
neuter singular	smalt	smalare	smalast
plural	smala	smalare	smalast
masculine plural2	smale	smalare	smalast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	smale	smalare	smalaste
all	smala	smalare	smalaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Derived terms

• smal som en pinne
• smal som en sticka
• smalmat
• smalspår
• trådsmal

See also

• tunn (“thin”)

Further reading

• “smal”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)

Anagrams

• alms, mals