Where does “płetwal” come from?

płetwal (Polish) comes from Polish płetwa, from Old Polish plutwa, from Old Czech plútva, from Old Czech plúti, from Proto-Slavic pluti, from Proto-Balto-Slavic plauˀtei, from Proto-Indo-European pleh₃(w)- — to swim, flow.

płetwal (Polish): any rorqual of the genus Balaenoptera

Definitions

  1. any rorqual of the genus Balaenoptera

Ancestry of “płetwal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Polishpłetwafin, flipper; swim fin
2Old Polishplutwafin
3Old Czechplútvafin
4Old Czechplútito sail, to float, to flow
5Proto-Slavicplutito swim; to sail
6Proto-Balto-Slavicplauˀteito swim
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpleh₃(w)-to swim, flow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pleh₃(w)- →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic plauˀtei →Every word from Proto-Slavic pluti →