Where does “monkfish” come from?

monkfish (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.

monkfish (English): Any large bottom-dwelling anglerfish of the genus...

Definitions

  1. Any large bottom-dwelling anglerfish of the genus...

Ancestry of “monkfish”, step by step

monkfish 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 monk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmonkA male member of a monastic order who has devoted...
2Middle EnglishmonkA monk; a male member of a monastic community excluding mendicants
3Old Englishmunucmonk
4Latinmonachusmonk
5Ancient Greekμοναχόςsolitary, single; monk, monastic
6Ancient Greekμόνοςalone, forsaken, solitary; only; unique
7Ancient Greekσπέρμαseed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing
8Proto-Hellenic*spérmə
Every word from Chichewa iye