Where does “greengill” come from?

greengill (English) comes from English gill, from Middle English gile, from Anglo-Norman gile, from Old French guile, from Old English wīl, from Proto-Germanic wīlą, from Proto-Indo-European wéy-, from Proto-Indo-European éǵh₂ — I.

greengill (English): An oyster which has the gills tinged with a green...

Definitions

  1. An oyster which has the gills tinged with a green...

Ancestry of “greengill”, step by step

greengill traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English gill

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishgilla breathing organ of fish and other aquatic...
2Middle Englishgilegill
3Anglo-Normangile—
4Old Frenchguiletrickery; deception
5Old Englishwīlwile, trick
6Proto-Germanicwīlącraft, deceit
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwéy-—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanéǵh₂I

via English green

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgreenHaving green as its color; Sickly, unwell;...
2Middle Englishgrenegreen
3Old Englishgrēnegreen
4Proto-West Germanicgrōnīgreen
5Proto-Germanicgrōnizgreen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰreh₁-to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European éǵh₂ →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wéy- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wīlą →