Where does “заячий” come from?

заячий (Russian) comes from Russian за́яц, from Proto-Slavic zajęcь, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *źṓjinkas, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰey- — winter.

заячий (Russian): hare; hare's

Definitions

  1. hare; hare's

Ancestry of “заячий”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianза́яцhare, jackrabbit
2Proto-Slaviczajęcьrabbit, hare
3Proto-Balto-Slavic*źṓjinkasrabbit, hare
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰey-winter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰey- →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic *źṓjinkas →Every word from Proto-Slavic zajęcь →