Where does “barberfish” come from?

barberfish (English) comes from English barber, from Middle English barbour, from Anglo-Norman barbour, from Old French barbeor, from Old French barbe, from Latin barba, from Latin farba, from Proto-Italic farβā — beard.

barberfish (English): Johnrandallia nigrirostris, a cleaner fish

Definitions

  1. Johnrandallia nigrirostris, a cleaner fish

Ancestry of “barberfish”, step by step

barberfish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English barber

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbarberA person whose profession is cutting customers'...
2Middle Englishbarbour
3Anglo-Normanbarbourbarber
4Old Frenchbarbeor
5Old Frenchbarbebeard
6Latinbarbabeard; wool, down on a plant; Alternative form of...
7Latinfarba
8Proto-Italicfarβābeard
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰardʰéh₂beard

via English Fish

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFishThe constellation and zodiacal sign Pisces
2Old Englishfiscianto fish
3Proto-West Germanicfiskōnto fish, to catch fish
4Proto-Germanicfiskōnąto fish, to catch fish
5Proto-Germanic-ōnąCreates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates...
6Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
7Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
9Chichewaiyehe, she
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰardʰéh₂
barberfish — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer