Where does “merkkihenkilö” come from?

merkkihenkilö (Finnish) comes from Finnish merkki, from Old Swedish mærki, from Old Norse merki, from Proto-Germanic markō, from Proto-Indo-European morǵ- — edge, boundary, border; frontier, border.

merkkihenkilö (Finnish): dignitary, notable

Definitions

  1. dignitary, notable

Ancestry of “merkkihenkilö”, step by step

merkkihenkilö traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Finnish merkki

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishmerkkimark, sign; character; symbol
2Old Swedishmærki—
3Old Norsemerkiboundary
4Proto-Germanicmarkōborder, boundary; region, area
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmorǵ-edge, boundary, border; frontier, border

via Finnish henkilö

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishhenkilöperson; figure
2Finnishhenkibreath; spirit, ghost; life
3Proto-Finnichenkibreath; soul, life force
4Proto-Uralicčeŋke—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European morǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic markō →Every word from Old Norse merki →