Kindlein

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German

Alternative forms

Etymology

Kind +‎ -lein

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkɪntlaɪ̯n/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Kind‧lein

Noun

Kindlein n (strong, genitive Kindleins, plural Kinderlein or Kindlein)

  1. diminutive of Kind
    • (Can we date this quote?), “Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf”, traditional (lyrics), Johann Friedrich Reichardt (music):
      Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, / Der Vater hüt die Schaaf, / Die Mutter schüttelts Bäumelein, / Da fällt herab ein Träumelein, / Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf.
      Sleep my child, sleep / Your father tends the sheep, / Your mother shakes the apple tree, / As falls down a dream for thee / Sleep my child, sleep

Usage notes

  • The plural Kinderlein is more common than unchanged Kindlein. (This is an exceptional case: other plurals with infixed -er-, such as Lämmerchen, are less common than the respective unchanged form.)

Declension

Further reading

  • Kindlein” in Duden online
  • Kindlein” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache