norsu

Finnish

Etymology

Originally a synonym (or rather a dialectal variant) of mursu (“walrus”) (see it for more). Before detailed information about the elephant spread to Finland, it was only known as a big, thick-skinned animal with handsome tusks, hence the initial confusion. The meanings diverged around 18th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnorsu/, [ˈno̞rs̠u]
• Rhymes: -orsu
• Syllabification^(key): nor‧su
• Hyphenation^(key): nor‧su

Noun

norsu

1. elephant

Declension

Inflection of norsu (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		norsu	norsut
genitive		norsun	norsujen
partitive		norsua	norsuja
illative		norsuun	norsuihin
		singular	plural
nominative		norsu	norsut
accusative	nom.	norsu	norsut
	gen.	norsun
genitive		norsun	norsujen
partitive		norsua	norsuja
inessive		norsussa	norsuissa
elative		norsusta	norsuista
illative		norsuun	norsuihin
adessive		norsulla	norsuilla
ablative		norsulta	norsuilta
allative		norsulle	norsuille
essive		norsuna	norsuina
translative		norsuksi	norsuiksi
abessive		norsutta	norsuitta
instructive		—	norsuin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of norsu (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative norsuni norsuni accusative nom. norsuni norsuni gen. norsuni genitive norsuni norsujeni partitive norsuani norsujani inessive norsussani norsuissani elative norsustani norsuistani illative norsuuni norsuihini adessive norsullani norsuillani ablative norsultani norsuiltani allative norsulleni norsuilleni essive norsunani norsuinani translative norsukseni norsuikseni abessive norsuttani norsuittani instructive — — comitative — norsuineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative norsusi norsusi accusative nom. norsusi norsusi gen. norsusi genitive norsusi norsujesi partitive norsuasi norsujasi inessive norsussasi norsuissasi elative norsustasi norsuistasi illative norsuusi norsuihisi adessive norsullasi norsuillasi ablative norsultasi norsuiltasi allative norsullesi norsuillesi essive norsunasi norsuinasi translative norsuksesi norsuiksesi abessive norsuttasi norsuittasi instructive — — comitative — norsuinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative norsumme norsumme accusative nom. norsumme norsumme gen. norsumme genitive norsumme norsujemme partitive norsuamme norsujamme inessive norsussamme norsuissamme elative norsustamme norsuistamme illative norsuumme norsuihimme adessive norsullamme norsuillamme ablative norsultamme norsuiltamme allative norsullemme norsuillemme essive norsunamme norsuinamme translative norsuksemme norsuiksemme abessive norsuttamme norsuittamme instructive — — comitative — norsuinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative norsunne norsunne accusative nom. norsunne norsunne gen. norsunne genitive norsunne norsujenne partitive norsuanne norsujanne inessive norsussanne norsuissanne elative norsustanne norsuistanne illative norsuunne norsuihinne adessive norsullanne norsuillanne ablative norsultanne norsuiltanne allative norsullenne norsuillenne essive norsunanne norsuinanne translative norsuksenne norsuiksenne abessive norsuttanne norsuittanne instructive — — comitative — norsuinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative norsunsa norsunsa accusative nom. norsunsa norsunsa gen. norsunsa genitive norsunsa norsujensa partitive norsuaan norsuansa norsujaan norsujansa inessive norsussaan norsussansa norsuissaan norsuissansa elative norsustaan norsustansa norsuistaan norsuistansa illative norsuunsa norsuihinsa adessive norsullaan norsullansa norsuillaan norsuillansa ablative norsultaan norsultansa norsuiltaan norsuiltansa allative norsulleen norsullensa norsuilleen norsuillensa essive norsunaan norsunansa norsuinaan norsuinansa translative norsukseen norsuksensa norsuikseen norsuiksensa abessive norsuttaan norsuttansa norsuittaan norsuittansa instructive — — comitative — norsuineen norsuinensa

Synonyms

• elefantti

Derived terms

compounds

• aasiannorsu
• afrikannorsu
• intiannorsu
• merinorsu
• metsänorsu
• norsueläin
• norsukala
• norsukivääri
• norsulintu
• norsunheinä
• norsunluu
• norsunnahka
• norsupallo
• norsupyssy
• norsupäästäinen
• norsutauti
• savanninorsu
• sotanorsu

idioms

• kuin norsu posliinikaupassa
• norsun muisti

Further reading

• “norsu”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023