Where does “hatchetfish” come from?

hatchetfish (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.

hatchetfish (English): Any of several freshwater tropical fish of the...

Definitions

  1. Any of several freshwater tropical fish of the...

Ancestry of “hatchetfish”, step by step

hatchetfish 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 hatchet

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhatchetA small light axe with a short handle; a...
2Middle EnglishhachetA hatchet; a light axe or a tomahawk; A war axe
3Old Frenchhachetehatchet
4Old Frenchhacheaxe
5Vulgar Latin*happia
6Frankishhappjaaxe, hatchet
7Proto-Germanic*hapjǭ
8Proto-Indo-Europeankop-to dig; to strike, to beat
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yétiEvery word from Proto-Germanic -ōną