Unknown. Possible origins include as the past participle of an unattested verb related to knipa (thus originally meaning "pinched"). Another possibility is nappa.
näpen
Inflection of näpen | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | näpen | näpnare | näpnast |
Neuter singular | näpet | näpnare | näpnast |
Plural | näpna | näpnare | näpnast |
Masculine plural3 | näpne | näpnare | näpnast |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | näpne | näpnare | näpnaste |
All | näpna | näpnare | näpnaste |
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 |