branzino

First recorded in 1915–20; from Venetian Italian: literally, “sea bass,” from Venetian Italian brancin “claw”, from branza “spine, claw” (from the appearance of the operculum) + -ino -ine¹. Further etymology is uncertain: branza may come from Classical Latin branchia branchia, or from Vulgar Latin brancia (unattested) and may perhaps be related to Late Latin branca “paw”; see branch