Stickle
/ˈstɪk.əl/noun
A small pointed fish, especially one of the genus Gasterosteus; also used in some dialects for a steep or projecting point.
Did you know?Stickle is connected to an old Germanic root meaning “to prick” or “to stab,” which is why it shows up in names for spiny things rather than anything soft or harmless.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stik-
“to prick, pierce, or stab”
Old English
OE
sticel
“a prickle, sting, or sharp point”
Middle English
ME
stikil
“a sharp point; a thorny or spiny thing”
Modern English
English
stickle
“a small spiny fish; in some dialects, a steep point or projection”