Where does “vastaskoivu” come from?

vastaskoivu (Finnish) comes from Finnish vastas, from Finnish vasta, from Swedish kvast, from Old Swedish quaster, from Old Norse kvǫstr, from Proto-Germanic kwastuz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷes- — twig; leafwork.

vastaskoivu (Finnish): a birch suitable for making a sauna whip

Definitions

  1. a birch suitable for making a sauna whip

Ancestry of “vastaskoivu”, step by step

vastaskoivu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Finnish vastas

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Finnishvastasa twig or sprig from a birch used to make a vasta
2FinnishvastaExpressing delay or that something takes place...
3Swedishkvastbroom; tassel; cyme
4Old Swedishquaster
5Old Norsekvǫstr
6Proto-Germanickwastuztuft; tassel
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷes-twig; leafwork

via Finnish Koivu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1FinnishKoivubirch deciduous tree of the genus
2Finnishkoivubirch
3Proto-Finnickoivubirch
4Proto-Uralickojwabirch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷes-