Combined with a place name, forms the noun for the inhabitant of a place; or an adjective meaning "of or relating to (the place)". · Combined with a name, forms an adjective for a member of an organization or other defined group, a follower of philosophy etc. · Combined with a common noun, forms nouns for people characterized by this noun.
köken: From Proto-Finnic *-lainën; equivalent to -la (toponym suffix) + -inen. Cognate with Estonian -lane, Veps -laine. Attested since at least the Bible translation of 1548, which uses it in Mark 7.26 (Grekilainen) and Luke 4.27 (Syrialainen), among other places.
Viro (“Estonia”) + -lainen → virolainen (“Estonian”)
Savo (“Savonia”) + -lainen → savolainen (“Savonian”)
German Hegel + -lainen → hegeliläinen (“Hegelian”)
köken: From syncope of *favestos, built by adding the adjective-forming suffix -tus to an s-stem noun derived from the root of faveō (“favor”). Compare iūstus, honestus.