Where does “toteemieläin” come from?

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

toteemieläin (Finnish): totem animal

Definitions

  1. totem animal

Ancestry of “toteemieläin”, step by step

toteemieläin 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 toteemi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishtoteemitotem
2Ojibwedoodemtotem; clan
Every word from Proto-Uralic elä- →Every word from Proto-Finnic elädäk →Every word from Finnish elää →
toteemieläin — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer