Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-īn

This Proto-West Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-West Germanic

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *-īnaz.

Suffix

*-īn

2. Creates adjectives from nouns with the sense 'characteristic of, made of'.

Inflection

Masculine a-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*-īn
Genitive	*-īnas
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*-īn	*-īnō, *-īnōs
Accusative	*-īn	*-īnā
Genitive	*-īnas	*-īnō
Dative	*-īnē	*-īnum
Instrumental	*-īnu	*-īnum

Derived terms

Proto-West Germanic terms suffixed with *-īn (adjective)

Descendants

• Old English: -en
  • Middle English: -en
    • Scots: -en, -in
    • English: -en
• Old Frisian: -en
  • Saterland Frisian: -en
  • West Frisian: -en
• Old Saxon: -īn
  • Middle Low German: -en
    • Low German: -en
• Old Dutch: *-īn
  • Middle Dutch: -ijn, -en
    • Dutch: -en
• Old High German: -īn
  • Middle High German: -en
    • German: -en

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *-īną.

Suffix

*-īn n

2. Creates diminutive nouns from other nouns.

Inflection

Neuter a-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*-īn
Genitive	*-īnas
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*-īn	*-īnu
Accusative	*-īn	*-īnu
Genitive	*-īnas	*-īnō
Dative	*-īnē	*-īnum
Instrumental	*-īnu	*-īnum

Derived terms

Proto-West Germanic terms suffixed with *-īn (diminutive)

Descendants

• Old English: -en
  • Middle English: -en
    • English: -en
    • Scots: -in, -een
• Old Frisian: -en
  • Saterland Frisian: -en
• Old Saxon: -īn
  • Middle Low German: -en
    • German Low German: -en
• Old Dutch: *-īn
  • Middle Dutch: -ijn, -en
• Old High German: -īn
  • Middle High German: -en
    • German: -en