Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “loosejaw” come from?

loosejaw (English) comes from English loose, from English lose, from German Nikolaus, from Latin Nīcolāus, from Ancient Greek Νικόλαος, from Ancient Greek λᾱός, from Proto-Hellenic lāwós, from Proto-Indo-European leh₂wos — to bark, howl; to be concealed.

loosejaw (English): A fish whose jaw can unhinge to swallow large...

Definitions

  1. A fish whose jaw can unhinge to swallow large...

Ancestry of “loosejaw”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlooseTo let loose, to free from restraints; To...
2EnglishloseTo cause to cease to be in one's possession or...
3GermanNikolausa representation of St. Nicholas; the day of 6th...
4LatinNīcolāus—
5Ancient GreekΝικόλαοςNicolas
6Ancient Greekλᾱόςpeople; men; the people
7Proto-Helleniclāwós—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanleh₂wospeople
9Proto-Indo-Europeanleh₂-to bark, howl; to be concealed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leh₂- →