Where does “oilfish” come from?

oilfish (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.

oilfish (English): A snake mackerel, Ruvettus pretiosus, having a...

Definitions

  1. A snake mackerel, Ruvettus pretiosus, having a...

Ancestry of “oilfish”, step by step

oilfish 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 oil

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoilLiquid fat; Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel...
2Middle EnglishoyleThe oil pressed from olives; olive oil; Oil as...
3Old Frenchoileoil
4Latinoleumolive oil; the palaestra
5Ancient Greekἔλαιονolive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any...
6Ancient Greekἐλαίαolive tree; olive; naevus
7Proto-Hellenicelaíwā
8Proto-Indo-Europeanloiwom
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yétiEvery word from Proto-Germanic -ōną