Where does “vaaliruhtinas” come from?

vaaliruhtinas (Finnish) comes from Finnish vaali, from Swedish väl, from Old Swedish hval, from Old Norse hvalr, from Proto-Germanic hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos — large fish; sheatfish.

vaaliruhtinas (Finnish): Elector, elector, prince-elector prince entitled to participate in the election the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire as member of the electoral college

Definitions

  1. Elector, elector, prince-elector prince entitled to participate in the election the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire as member of the electoral college

Ancestry of “vaaliruhtinas”, step by step

vaaliruhtinas traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Finnish vaali

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishvaalielection; Third-person singular indicative past...
2Swedishvälwell; accurately, completely, to a significant...
3Old Swedishhvalwhale
4Old Norsehvalrwhale
5Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish

via Finnish ruhtinas

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishruhtinasprince
2Proto-Finnicruhtinasleader, lord
3Proto-Germanicdruhtinazleader, lord
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrewgʰ-to deceive, to mislead; to serve one's tribe;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwalaz →Every word from Old Norse hvalr →