Where does “sea porcupine” come from?

sea porcupine (English) comes from English porcupine, from Middle English porke despyne, from Old French porc-espin, from Latin porcus, from Proto-Italic porkos, from Proto-Indo-European pórḱos, from Proto-Indo-European perḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European per- — passed , crossed.

sea porcupine (English): A porcupine fish

Definitions

  1. A porcupine fish

Ancestry of “sea porcupine”, step by step

sea porcupine traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English porcupine

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishporcupineAny of several rodents of either of the taxonomic...
2Middle Englishporke despyne
3Old Frenchporc-espin
4Latinporcusa piglet, a young pig; a pig, hog; Short for...
5Proto-Italicporkospig
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpórḱospiglet
7Proto-Indo-Europeanperḱ-colored; motley; to open, rip up
8Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English sea

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishseaA large body of salt water; A lake, especially if...
2Middle Englishseesea, ocean; A body of water, a lake; seat, chair
3Old Englishsea, lake
4Proto-West Germanicsaiwisea
5Proto-Germanicsaiwizsea, ocean
6Proto-Germanicsīhwanąto filter
7Proto-Indo-Europeanseykʷ-to moisten; to filter
8Proto-Indo-Europeansey-to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European per-Every word from Proto-Indo-European perḱ-