Where does “pearlfish” come from?

pearlfish (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.

pearlfish (English): Any of various slender marine fish of the family...

Definitions

  1. Any of various slender marine fish of the family...

Ancestry of “pearlfish”, step by step

pearlfish 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 Pearl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPearlA placename
2Middle EnglishperleA pearl; Any round object, especially when shiny;...
3Old Frenchperle—
4Medieval Latinperla—
5LatinpernaA haunch or ham together with the leg, gammon; A...
6Proto-Italicpersnā—
7Proto-Indo-Europeantpḗrsneh₂heel, upper thigh
8Proto-Indo-EuropeansperH-to kick
Every word from Chichewa iye →Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yéti →Every word from Proto-Germanic -ōną →