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Origin and history of thin

thin(adj.)

Middle English thin, thinne, from Old English þynne " of comparatively small diameter, narrow; lean, scanty, not dense; fluid, tenuous; weak, poor;" from Proto-Germanic *thunni "thin" (source also of West Frisian ten, Middle Low German dunne, Middle Dutch dunne, Dutch dun, Old High German dunni, German dünn, Old Norse þunnr, Swedish tunn, Danish tynd). This is reconstructed (Watkins) to be from PIE *tnu- "stretched, stretched out" (hence "thin"), from root *ten- "to stretch" (source also of Latin tenuis "thin, slender").

Many senses from the notion of "having constituent parts loose or sparse in arrangement," hence "lacking density." Of plants, hair, a beard, etc." from c. 1300. Of air, "rare, rarefied," from late 14c.; phrase thin air is from late 15c.

These our actors ... were all Spirits, and Are melted into Ayre, into thin Ayre. [Shakespeare, "The Tempest," IV.i.150, 1610]

"Loose or sparse," hence also "easily seen through," with figurative extensions. Also "deficient in some important characteristic or ingredient." Compare thick (adj.). Related: Thinly; thinness. Thin-skinned is attested from 1590s; the figurative sense of "touchy" is from 1670s.

thin(v.)

Middle English thinnen, from Old English þynnian "make thin; lessen, dilute," also intransitive, "become thin," from thin (adj.).

The intransitive sense of "become less numerous" is attested from 1743; that of "become thinner" is recorded from 1804. Compare similarly formed German dünnen, Dutch dunnen. Related: Thinned; thinning.

Entries linking to thin

thick(adj.)

"having relatively great extent or depth from one surface to the other, opposite of thin," Middle English thik, thikke, from Old English þicce, þicge "dense, viscous, solid, stiff;" also "numerous, abundant; deep," from Proto-Germanic *thiku- (source also of Old Saxon thikki, Old High German dicchi, German dick, Old Norse þykkr, Old Frisian thikke). This is reconstructed (Watkins) to be from PIE *tegu- "thick" (source also of Gaelic tiugh). Related: Thickly.

In late Old English also of fogs, clouds, etc. Of persons, "stout, large-framed, muscular," mid-13c. Of low, deep heavy voices from late 14c. Of lips by 1450. The meaning "stupid" is attested by 1590s.

Also since Old English as an adverb, "thickly, to a great depth; closely, densely; often, in close or rapid succession." Hence adverbial phrase thick and fast (1706) in great numbers and rapidly," earlier thick and threefold (1540s). The figurative expression lay it on thick "do something to excess, be extravagant" is by 17840.

The secondary sense of "having numerous separate parts or individuals set or occurring close together" was extended in Middle English to things occurring in rapid succession (pulse, breathing). Middle English had thikkefold "in large numbers, in quick succession."

Also compare thickset. From this also seems to have evolved the proverbial phrase thick as thieves (1833), from earlier thick in a colloquial sense of "in close confidence, intimate" (1756).

thinner(n.)

"one who or that which thins," agent noun from thin (v.). From 1832 of machines or implements to thin plants; by 1904 of liquids used to dilute paint, ink, etc.

*ten-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to stretch," with derivatives meaning "something stretched, a string; thin."

It might form all or part of: abstain; abstention; abstinence; abstinent; atelectasis; attend; attenuate; attenuation; baritone; catatonia; catatonic; contain; contend; continue; detain; detente; detention; diatonic; distend; entertain; extend; extenuate; hypotenuse; hypotonia; intend; intone (v.1) "to sing, chant;" isotonic; lieutenant; locum-tenens; maintain; monotony; neoteny; obtain; ostensible; peritoneum; pertain; pertinacious; portend; pretend; rein; retain; retinue; sitar; subtend; sustain; tantra; telangiectasia; temple (n.1) "building for worship;" temple (n.2) "flattened area on either side of the forehead;" temporal; tenable; tenacious; tenacity; tenant; tend (v.1) "to incline, to move in a certain direction;" tendency; tender (adj.) "soft, easily injured;" tender (v.) "to offer formally;" tendon; tendril; tenement; tenesmus; tenet; tennis; tenon; tenor; tense (adj.) "stretched tight;" tensile; tension; tensor; tent (n.) "portable shelter;" tenterhooks; tenuous; tenure; tetanus; thin; tone; tonic.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit tantram "loom," tanoti "stretches, lasts," tanuh "thin," literally "stretched out;" Persian tar "string;" Lithuanian tankus "compact," i.e. "tightened;" Greek teinein "to stretch," tasis "a stretching, tension," tenos "sinew," tetanos "stiff, rigid," tonos "string," hence "sound, pitch;" Latin tenere "to hold, grasp, keep, have possession, maintain," tendere "to stretch," tenuis "thin, rare, fine;" Old Church Slavonic tento "cord;" Old English þynne "thin."