Where does “swordtail” come from?
swordtail (English) comes from English sword, from Middle English sword, from Old English sword, from Old English sweord, from Proto-Germanic swerdą, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.
swordtail (English): One of many species of freshwater fish, in genus...
Definitions
- One of many species of freshwater fish, in genus...
Ancestry of “swordtail”, step by step
swordtail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sword
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sword | A long-bladed weapon with a hilt, and usually a... |
| 2 | Middle English | sword | sword, sabre; Military might or power |
| 3 | Old English | sword | Alternative form of sweord |
| 4 | Old English | sweord | a sword |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swerdą | sword |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swēr- | heavy |
via English Tail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Tail | A Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon |
| 2 | Middle English | tayl | A tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A... |
| 3 | Old English | tæġl | tail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | taglą | hair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | doḱ- | hair of the tail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |