PIE *gwelbhから、膨らむ、膨らむ、派生子宮、妊婦の腹、語源は子供、子牛と同じ。おそらく妊婦に似た肥満したイルカから名付けられた。
英語の語源
dolphin
dolphin: [13] The ultimate source of dolphin is Greek delphís ‘dolphin’, which some have linked with Greek delphys ‘womb’. From it was derived delphīnion, a name given to the plant larkspur on account of the dolphin-like shape of part of its flower, acquired by English via Latin as delphinium [17]. Latin took over Greek delphís as delphīnus, which passed into English along two channels.
The classical form was borrowed as delfyn or delphin, which did not survive the 17th century. But the Vulgar Latin form *dalphīnus progressed to Old French daulphin (ultimate source of English dauphin), which English acquired as dalphyn. Dolphin, first recorded in the 14th century, appears to be an English alteration of the form da(u)lphin. => dauphin, delphinium
dolphin (n.)
mid-14c., from Old French daulphin, from Medieval Latin dolfinus, from Latin delphinus "dolphin," from Greek delphis (genitive delphinos) "dolphin," related to delphys "womb," perhaps via notion of the animal bearing live young, or from its shape, from PIE *gwelbh-. Popularly applied to the dorado from late 16c.
例文
1. He was so happy communing with the dolphin in Dingle Bay.
彼はディンガー湾でイルカと交流していたとき、とても楽しかった。
2.A dolphin leapt out of the water.
イルカが水面に飛び出した。
3.The advert featured a dolphin swimming around a goldfish bowl.
金魚鉢の中を泳ぐイルカの内容。
4.We also pointed out that dolphin ?kicking is a misnomer.