Where does “spookfish” come from?

spookfish (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.

spookfish (English): A fish, the barreleye; Any of several species of...

Definitions

  1. A fish, the barreleye; Any of several species of...

Ancestry of “spookfish”, step by step

spookfish 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 spook

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspookA ghost or phantom; A hobgoblin; A scare or...
2Dutchspookphantom, ghost; horror, terror; an annoying and...
3Middle Dutchspoocapparition, ghost; spook, ghost
4Middle Dutchspoke
5Proto-Germanicspōkspook, ghost, apparition; witchcraft, wizardry
Every word from Chichewa iye