sauna

Where does the word "sauna" come from? It comes from Proto-Finnic sakna, passing through Finnish before entering English (1880s).

Sauna’s story begins in Proto-Finnic: sakna meant “bathhouse, hearth.” An ancient word for a heated pit-house or bathhouse. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Finnish as sauna. Central to Finnish bathing and social custom for centuries. It reached English by 1880s as sauna. Adopted unchanged as travelers described the Finnish custom. Today, sauna means a small room or building used for taking steam baths.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Finnic · ancient sakna "bathhouse, hearth", an ancient word for a heated pit-house or bathhouse.
2. Stage 2 · Finnish · medieval sauna "steam bathhouse", central to Finnish bathing and social custom for centuries.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1880s sauna "a steam bathhouse", adopted unchanged as travelers described the Finnish custom.