Where does “soapfish” come from?

soapfish (English) comes from English Fish, from Old English fiscian, from Proto-West Germanic fiskōn, from Proto-Germanic fiskōną, from Proto-Germanic -ōną, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.

soapfish (English): Any of a number of serranid fish that can secrete...

Definitions

  1. Any of a number of serranid fish that can secrete...

Ancestry of “soapfish”, step by step

soapfish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Fish

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFishThe constellation and zodiacal sign Pisces
2Old Englishfiscianto fish
3Proto-West Germanicfiskōnto fish, to catch fish
4Proto-Germanicfiskōnąto fish, to catch fish
5Proto-Germanic-ōnąCreates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates...
6Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
7Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
9Chichewaiyehe, she

via English soap

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsoapA substance able to mix with both oil and water,...
2Middle EnglishsopeSoap; a cleaning agent especially if liquid
3Old Englishsāpesoap, salve
4Proto-West Germanicsaipāsoap
5Proto-Germanicsaipǭsoap
6Proto-Indo-Europeanseyb-to pour, leak, trickle; to pour out, trickle,...
Every word from Chichewa iye