Where does “vanupuikko” come from?

vanupuikko (Finnish) comes from Finnish vanu, from Finnish -u, from Proto-Finnic -u — Forms nouns from adjectives, nouns.

vanupuikko (Finnish): cotton swab, cotton stick, Q-tip US; cotton wool bud, cotton bud, ear bud UK

Definitions

  1. cotton swab, cotton stick, Q-tip US; cotton wool bud, cotton bud, ear bud UK

Ancestry of “vanupuikko”, step by step

vanupuikko traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Finnish vanu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishvanucotton wool, absorbent cotton, wadding;...
2Finnish-uForms nouns from verbs. Most common with "e"- and...
3Proto-Finnic-uForms nouns from adjectives, nouns

via Finnish puikko

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishpuikkopeg; stick; short for neulepuikko
Every word from Proto-Finnic -uEvery word from Finnish -uEvery word from Finnish vanu
vanupuikko — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer