billig (neuter billigt, plural and definite singular attributive billige)
| Inflection of billig | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative | |
| Indefinte common singular | billig | billigere | billigst2 |
| Indefinite neuter singular | billigt | billigere | billigst2 |
| Plural | billige | billigere | billigst2 |
| Definite attributive1 | billige | billigere | billigste |
| 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. | |||
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
billig
billig (comparative billiger, superlative billigst)
billig - instituut voor de Nederlandse taal
From Middle High German billich, from Old High German billīh (“appropriate”), from a suffixed form of Proto-Germanic *biliz (“merciful, kind, decent, fair”).
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billig (strong nominative masculine singular billiger, comparative billiger, superlative am billigsten)
The meaning “low-priced” only arose at the end of the 18th century and has been very colloquial and frowned upon until the end of the 19th century, the negative meaning having to arise even later after this word has attained domination in expressing the sense of cheapness in German. This word in the sense “cheap” is still known to be slightly colloquial, so, in formal speech, and because of its multiple senses, like günstig it is avoided in favour of circumscriptions or ungainly adjectives like preisgünstig and niedrigpreisig. Actually, in legal writing the original meaning is the expected one. The classical word for “cheap” is wohlfeil, the use of which now is restricted to chosen style.
| number & gender | singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
| predicative | er ist billig | sie ist billig | es ist billig | sie sind billig | |
| strong declension (without article) |
nominative | billiger | billige | billiges | billige |
| genitive | billigen | billiger | billigen | billiger | |
| dative | billigem | billiger | billigem | billigen | |
| accusative | billigen | billige | billiges | billige | |
| weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der billige | die billige | das billige | die billigen |
| genitive | des billigen | der billigen | des billigen | der billigen | |
| dative | dem billigen | der billigen | dem billigen | den billigen | |
| accusative | den billigen | die billige | das billige | die billigen | |
| mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein billiger | eine billige | ein billiges | (keine) billigen |
| genitive | eines billigen | einer billigen | eines billigen | (keiner) billigen | |
| dative | einem billigen | einer billigen | einem billigen | (keinen) billigen | |
| accusative | einen billigen | eine billige | ein billiges | (keine) billigen | |
From Middle Low German billich.
billig (neuter singular billig, definite singular and plural billige, comparative billigere, indefinite plural billigst, definite plural billigste)
From Middle Low German billich.
billig (neuter singular billig, definite singular and plural billige, comparative billigare, indefinite plural billigast, definite plural billigaste)
From Middle Low German billik, billich. Compare German billig and Dutch billijk.
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billig (comparative billigare, superlative billigast)
The original sense was "fair" or "reasonable". Thus ett billigt pris originally meant "a fair price" as opposed to "a low price". Since this sense is now dated (outside of legal contexts), the term låga priser ("low prices") is by many preferred to billiga priser.
| Inflection of billig | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
| Common singular | billig | billigare | billigast |
| Neuter singular | billigt | billigare | billigast |
| Plural | billiga | billigare | billigast |
| Masculine plural3 | billige | billigare | billigast |
| Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Masculine singular1 | billige | billigare | billigaste |
| All | billiga | billigare | billigaste |
| 1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic | |||