Etymology Explorer › English

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

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰardʰéh₂ →