English

fishworm

From fish + worm.

A compound of fish + worm

Proto-Indo-European *piskós

Proto-Germanic *fiskaz

Proto-West Germanic *fisk

Old English fisċ

Middle English fisch ‘an animal that inhabits the water or the meat…’

English fish

Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis

Proto-Germanic *wurmiz

Proto-West Germanic *wurmi

Old English weorm

Middle English werm

English worm

Today it means

noun A worm used as bait in angling.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / fishworm