-kin

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-kin suffix forming dims. — MDu. -kijn, -ken, MLG. -kīn = OHG., OS. -kïn (G. -chen); of WGmc. extent, but not in OE.; first found (XIII)in personal names; formations on common nouns appeared in XIV, but they are not frequent till XVI (boykin, ladykin, lambkin); some are — Du. (catkin, manikin); others are of obscure orig. (jerkin). See also -KINS.

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