Etymology Explorer › Finnish

Where does “harppu” come from?

harppu (Finnish) comes from Swedish harpa, from Old Swedish harpa, from Old Norse harpa, from Proto-Germanic harpǭ, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreb-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

harppu (Finnish): harp; an old or ugly woman, harpy

Definitions

  1. harp; an old or ugly woman, harpy

Ancestry of “harppu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishharpaharp
2Old Swedishharpaharp
3Old Norseharpacompress; to grip, pinch; harp
4Proto-Germanicharpǭharp
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kreb-to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,...
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “harppu”

  • harpun
  • huuliharppu
  • suuharppu
  • harpunsoittaja
  • harpikko
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →