† psettaceousadj.

Etymology: < classical Latin psētta flatfish, perhaps a sole or flounder (Pliny; < ancient Greek ψῆττα a kind of flatfish, probably a turbot, perhaps < ψήχειν to rub down (an extended form of ψῆν to rub, wipe, perhaps ultimately < the same Indo-European base as Sanskrit psā- to devour, and perhaps also as besom n., although the exact relationship of these words to each other is unclear and disputed), so called on account of the roughness of its skin + -ία -ia suffix¹) + -aceous suffix.