Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “damselfish” come from?

damselfish (English) comes from English damsel, from French demoiselle, from Old French damoisele, from Vulgar Latin domnicella, from Latin domina, from Latin Dominus, from Latin domus, from Proto-Italic domos — to build; to arrange, to put together.

damselfish (English): Any of a number of fish in the Pomacentridae...

Definitions

  1. Any of a number of fish in the Pomacentridae...

Ancestry of “damselfish”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdamselA young woman; A girl; a maiden; A young woman...
2Frenchdemoiselledamsel, maiden; miss; damselfly
3Old Frenchdamoiselegirl; young lady
4Vulgar Latindomnicellaweasel; little maiden; damsel, maiden
5Latindominalady or mistress of the house
6LatinDominusthe Lord; Lord; The Lord
7Latindomushouse, home; any building or abode; native place,...
8Proto-Italicdomoshouse, home
9Proto-Indo-Europeandṓmhome; house
10Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem- →