According to Oja (2002), either from or related to Proto-Finnic *pëllava(s). A possible development may have been *pellava > *pellav > *pelv > *peu̟u̟ > *pevu > pövu.
Related to Ludian pövü. The related term Ingrian pövvy might be a borrowing from either of the two languages.
pövu
| Inflection of pövu (inflection type 1/ilo) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative sing. | pövu | ||
| genitive sing. | pövun | ||
| partitive sing. | pövud | ||
| partitive plur. | pövuid | ||
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | pövu | pövud | |
| accusative | pövun | pövud | |
| genitive | pövun | pövuiden | |
| partitive | pövud | pövuid | |
| essive-instructive | pövun | pövuin | |
| translative | pövuks | pövuikš | |
| inessive | pövus | pövuiš | |
| elative | pövuspäi | pövuišpäi | |
| illative | pövuhu | pövuihe | |
| adessive | pövul | pövuil | |
| ablative | pövulpäi | pövuilpäi | |
| allative | pövule | pövuile | |
| abessive | pövuta | pövuita | |
| comitative | pövunke | pövuidenke | |
| prolative | pövudme | pövuidme | |
| approximative I | pövunno | pövuidenno | |
| approximative II | pövunnoks | pövuidennoks | |
| egressive | pövunnopäi | pövuidennopäi | |
| terminative I | pövuhusai | pövuihesai | |
| terminative II | pövulesai | pövuilesai | |
| terminative III | pövussai | — | |
| additive I | pövuhupäi | pövuihepäi | |
| additive II | pövulepäi | pövuilepäi | |