Where does “rälssimies” come from?
rälssimies (Finnish) comes from Finnish rälssi, from Swedish frälse, from Old Swedish frælse, from Old Norse frelsi, from Proto-Germanic frijahalsaz, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.
rälssimies (Finnish): a landowner exempt from taxation due to their service as a cavalryman
Definitions
- a landowner exempt from taxation due to their service as a cavalryman
Ancestry of “rälssimies”, step by step
rälssimies traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Finnish rälssi
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finnish | rälssi | exemption of the church or the nobility from taxation, or another similar privilege of the church and the nobility, in the Swedish realm |
| 2 | Swedish | frälse | exemption from certain taxes |
| 3 | Old Swedish | frælse | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | frelsi | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | frijahalsaz | freedom, liberty, the state of not being... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | frijaz | free |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | priHós | dear, beloved; happy, free |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | preyH- | to love, to please |