Suomi

/ˈsuo̯mi/ noun

Definition

The Finnish word for Finland, and the name Finns use for their own country. Also refers to the Finnish language itself.

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *Soome, possibly related to 'suo' meaning bog or marsh, reflecting Finland's landscape. The word has been used by Finns for over a millennium to refer to their homeland.

Kelly Says

While the rest of the world calls it Finland (from Swedish), Finns have always called their country Suomi, making it one of the few nations with completely different native and international names. The Finnish language belongs to the Finno-Ugric family, making it more closely related to Hungarian than to neighboring Swedish or Norwegian.

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