Where does “pincertail” come from?

pincertail (English) comes from English Tail, from Middle English tayl, from Old English tæġl, from Proto-Germanic taglą, from Proto-Indo-European doḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European deḱ- — take; perceive.

pincertail (English): Any of various species of gomphid dragonfly of the genus Onychogomphus, of Eurasia and Africa

Definitions

  1. Any of various species of gomphid dragonfly of the genus Onychogomphus, of Eurasia and Africa

Ancestry of “pincertail”, step by step

pincertail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Tail

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTailA Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon
2Middle EnglishtaylA tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A...
3Old Englishtæġltail
4Proto-Germanictagląhair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail
5Proto-Indo-Europeandoḱ-hair of the tail
6Proto-Indo-Europeandeḱ-take; perceive

via English pincer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpincerAny object that resembles one half of a pair of...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European doḱ-Every word from Proto-Germanic taglą