Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/mato

Etymology
From (compare 🇨🇬), probably borrowed from  ~. The semantics are not entirely clear, but Häkkinen (2004) notes that these species have a larval stage, and the larvae resemble worms to some degree. If this theory is true, the word would be from the same origin as, but a later borrowing.

The Finnic word has also been compared with. Both directions of loaning have been suggested (the Germanic word has no solid Indo-European etymology). If the Finnic word is borrowed from Germanic, it cannot be related to the Samic word, since pre-Finnic *č and Germanic *þ cannot be reconciled.

Yet another theory proposes derivation from, but the suffix is not otherwise known to form agent nouns.

Noun

 * 1) worm

Descendants

 * North Karelian:
 * South Karelian:
 * North Karelian:
 * South Karelian:
 * North Karelian:
 * South Karelian: