Thin
/θɪn/noun
Having little thickness or depth; not thick.
Did you know?In Old English, 'thin' also encompassed meanings of 'pure' or 'clear', connecting it to notions of spiritual clarity and enlightenment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ten-
“to stretch or extend, implying a quality of slenderness or fineness.”
Old English
Old English
þynne
“Slender, narrow; used to describe both physical and abstract qualities.”
Middle English
Middle English
thynne
“Having little thickness; also referred to weak or frail.”
Modern English
English
thin
“Retains the meaning of being not thick, while also carrying connotations of purity and weakness.”