Where does “sea-elf” come from?

sea-elf (English) comes from English sea, from Middle English see, from Old English sǣ, from Proto-West Germanic saiwi, from Proto-Germanic saiwiz, from Proto-Germanic sīhwaną, from Proto-Indo-European seykʷ-, from Proto-Indo-European sey- — to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;...

sea-elf (English): A merman or mermaid

Definitions

  1. A merman or mermaid

Ancestry of “sea-elf”, step by step

sea-elf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

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;...

via English elf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishelfA luminous spirit presiding over nature and...
2Middle Englishelfelf, fairy; spirit, shade
3Old Englishielfelf
4Proto-West Germanicalbielf, fairy
5Proto-Germanicalbīriver
6LatinAlbis
7LatinAlbeus
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sey-