Where does “smoothtongue” come from?

smoothtongue (English) comes from English tongue, from Middle English tung, from Old English tung, from Proto-West Germanic tungā, from Proto-Germanic tungǭ, from Proto-Indo-European dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s — tongue.

smoothtongue (English): Any of a number species of ray-finned fish of the taxonomic genus Leuroglossus

Definitions

  1. Any of a number species of ray-finned fish of the taxonomic genus Leuroglossus

Ancestry of “smoothtongue”, step by step

smoothtongue traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English tongue

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtongueThe flexible muscular organ in the mouth that is...
2Middle Englishtungtongue; A tongue-shaped thing; language, speech,...
3Old Englishtung
4Proto-West Germanictungātongue; speech, language
5Proto-Germanictungǭtongue; speech, language
6Proto-Indo-Europeandn̥ǵʰwéh₂stongue

via English smooth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsmoothHaving a texture that lacks friction. Not rough;...
2Middle Englishsmethesmooth not rough
3Old Englishsmōþsmooth, serene, calm, unruffled
4Proto-Germanicsmanþizflat, smooth, soft
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dn̥ǵʰwéh₂sEvery word from Proto-Germanic tungǭEvery word from Proto-West Germanic tungā