Shrunken
/ˈʃrʌŋ.kən/noun
Reduced in size, especially by drying, age, or compression.
Did you know?English *shrunken* is the past participle of *shrink*, and *shrink* ultimately comes from a Germanic root meaning “to wrinkle, contract, or shrivel,” not from anything mystical—but its tight, compressed sound makes it feel almost spellbound.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skrinkaną
“to shrink, contract, become wrinkled”
Old English
OE
scrincan
“to wither, shrivel, decay”
Middle English
ME
shrinken
“to contract, become smaller or less”
Early Modern English
English
shrunken
“past participle of shrink”
Modern English
English
shrunken
“reduced in size, especially by drying or compression”