Where does “jäniseläin” come from?

jäniseläin (Finnish) comes from Finnish eläin, from Finnish elää, from Proto-Finnic elädäk, from Proto-Uralic elä- — to live.

jäniseläin (Finnish): Any species in the taxonomic suborder Lagomorpha;...

Definitions

  1. Any species in the taxonomic suborder Lagomorpha;...

Ancestry of “jäniseläin”, step by step

jäniseläin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Finnish eläin

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnisheläinanimal
2FinnishelääTo live, be alive; To live
3Proto-Finnicelädäkto live
4Proto-Uralicelä-to live

via Finnish jänis

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishjänishare; mountain hare, "Lepus timidus"; stowaway
2Proto-Finnicjänishare
Every word from Proto-Uralic elä- →Every word from Proto-Finnic elädäk →Every word from Finnish elää →