Where does “dolphin” come from?

Dolphin comes from Middle English dolfin, from Old French dalphin, from Latin delphinus, from Ancient Greek δελφίς, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷelbʰ-.

dolphin (English): A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several...

Definitions

  1. A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several...

Ancestry of “dolphin”, step by step

dolphin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch dukdalf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchdukdalfdolphin, post for mooring boats
2Frenchducduke
3Middle Frenchducduke
4Old Frenchducduke
5Latinduxleader, head; commander, general, captain;...
6Latindūcōto lead, guide, conduct, lead away
7Proto-Italicdoukōlead
8Proto-Indo-Europeandéwketi—
9Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead

via Middle English dolfin

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdolfin—
2Old Frenchdaulphin—
3Latindelphīnusa dolphin an aquatic mammal of the family
4Ancient Greekδελφίν—
5Ancient Greekδελφύςthe womb
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷelbʰ-the womb

Words derived from “dolphin”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →