Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “salamanderfish” come from?

salamanderfish (English) comes from English salamander, from Middle English salamandre, from Old French salamandre, from Latin salamandra, from Ancient Greek σαλαμάνδρα, from Persian سمندر, from Persian سام, from Proto-Indo-Iranian ćyaHmás — darkness, shadow.

salamanderfish (English): Lepidogalaxias salamandroides, a small fish of...

Definitions

  1. Lepidogalaxias salamandroides, a small fish of...

Ancestry of “salamanderfish”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsalamanderA long, slender, chiefly terrestrial amphibian of...
2Middle Englishsalamandre—
3Old Frenchsalamandresalamander
4Latinsalamandrasalamander
5Ancient Greekσαλαμάνδραfire salamander
6Persianسمندرsalamander; a mythological fire-dwelling creature...
7Persianسامfire; flame; swell, swelling
8Proto-Indo-IranianćyaHmásblack
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱyeh₁-mó-sblack, dark
10Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱeh₃-darkness, shadow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱeh₃- →