Where does “желна” come from?
желна (Russian) comes from Proto-Slavic žьlna, from Proto-Balto-Slavic gilˀnāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.
желна (Russian): black woodpecker
Ancestry of “желна”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | žьlna | woodpecker, green woodpecker |
| 2 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | gilˀnāˀ | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelH- | to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing |