English

spineback

From spine + back.

A compound of spine + back

Proto-Indo-European *spey- ‘sharp point’

Proto-Italic *speinā ‘thorn’

Latin spīna ‘thorn’

Old French espine

Middle English spyne ‘a spine’

English spine

Proto-Germanic *baką ‘back’

Proto-West Germanic *bak

Old English bæc

Middle English bak ‘the back’

English back

Today it means

noun A fish with spines in, or in front of, the dorsal fins, such as the Notacanthus sexpinis or the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias).

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

Etymograph / spineback