Where does “pussikarhu” come from?

pussikarhu (Finnish) comes from Finnish Karhu, from Finnish karhu, from Proto-Finnic karhu, from Proto-Finnic karheda — rough, coarse.

pussikarhu (Finnish): koala

Definitions

  1. koala

Ancestry of “pussikarhu”, step by step

pussikarhu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Finnish Karhu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1FinnishKarhuA major brand of beer in Finland
2Finnishkarhubear; brown bear, "Ursus arctos"
3Proto-Finnickarhubear
4Proto-Finnickarhedarough, coarse

via Finnish pussi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishpussibag, pouch, sac; pouch; pocket
2Old Swedishpusi—
3Proto-Germanicpusôbag, sack, scrip
Every word from Proto-Finnic karheda →Every word from Proto-Finnic karhu →Every word from Finnish karhu →