Where does “whalewatching” come from?

whalewatching (English) comes from English watching, from English watch, from English puppy, from English puppie, from Middle French poupée, from Old French poupée, from Latin pupa, from Latin pupus — few, little; smallness.

whalewatching (English): The recreational observation of whales

Definitions

  1. The recreational observation of whales

Ancestry of “whalewatching”, step by step

whalewatching traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English watching

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwatchingpresent participle of watch; The act of one who...
2EnglishwatchA portable or wearable timepiece; The act of...
3EnglishpuppyA young dog, especially before sexual maturity; A...
4EnglishpuppieObsolete form of puppy
5Middle Frenchpoupéedoll, toy
6Old Frenchpoupée
7Latinpupagirl, little girl; doll, puppet; pupa
8Latinpupusa boy, a child; a puppet; the pupil of the eye
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂w-few, little; smallness

via English whale

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhaleAny of several species of large sea mammals of...
2Middle EnglishwhalA whale or cetacean
3Old Englishhwæla whale
4Proto-West Germanichwalwhale
5Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w-