ring
Translation
slight, minor, lowly, humble
Examples
Er war von ringem Stande.
He was of humble origin.
Das ist nur ein ringes Problem.
That is only a minor problem.
Grammar Patterns
ring + Noun slight, minor ~ a minor income
Similar Words
Synonyms: gering, unbedeutend, niedrig; Antonyms: hoch, bedeutend
Etymology
From Old High German '(h)ringi' (light, fast). Shares its origin with the modern German 'gering'. It is an archaic word.
Memory Tips
Think of a small 'ring' on your finger. It's a 'ring' (slight) amount of metal. Remember this is an old-fashioned word; 'gering' is used today.