Where does “fish louse” come from?

fish louse (English) comes from English Fish, from Old English fiscian, from Proto-West Germanic fiskōn, from Proto-Germanic fiskōną, from Proto-Germanic -ōną, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.

fish louse (English): Any aquatic crustacean which is a parasite of fish, typically attached to the skin or gills

Definitions

  1. Any aquatic crustacean which is a parasite of fish, typically attached to the skin or gills

Ancestry of “fish louse”, step by step

fish louse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

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

via English louse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlouseA small parasitic wingless insect of the order...
2Middle Englishlouslouse; A person or thing worthy of contempt or...
3Old Englishlūslouse
4West Germanic*lūs
5Germanic*lūs
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse
Every word from Chichewa iye