Where does “pinkeen” come from?

pinkeen (English) comes from English een, from English Even, from Middle English even, from Old English efn, from Proto-West Germanic ebn, from Proto-Germanic ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos — equal, straight; flat, level, even.

pinkeen (English): A little fish; especially the minnow, "Phoxinus...

Definitions

  1. A little fish; especially the minnow, "Phoxinus...

Ancestry of “pinkeen”, step by step

pinkeen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English een

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englisheenplural of eye; even; evening
2EnglishEvenAn ethnic Even: a member of an indigenous people...
3Middle Englishevensmoothly, evenly
4Old Englishefnequal, level, even
5Proto-West Germanicebneven, level
6Proto-Germanicebnazeven, level
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁émnosequal, straight; flat, level, even

via English Pink

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPinkAn operative of the Pinkerton National Detective...
2Dutchpingelento wrangle, to try to get a better price; to do...
3West Frisianpingelsmall item
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnosEvery word from Proto-Germanic ebnazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic ebn