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Why is a group of fish called "school"?

And is it anyhow etymologically connected with the word "school" denoting an educational establishment?

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A group of fish can be called a school or a shoal. Both words from the Dutch root "schole" meaning a troop or a crowd.

From Etymology Online:

"group of fish," late 14c., scole, from Middle Dutch schole (Dutch school) "group of fish or other animals," cognate with Old English scolu "band, troop, crowd of fish," from West Germanic *skulo- (source also of Old Saxon scola "troop, multitude," West Frisian skoal), perhaps with a literal sense of "division," from PIE root *skel- (1) "to cut."

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  • Welcome to ELL, this will be a great answer, but please can you add a source to back it up?
    – Gamora
    Commented Nov 21, 2019 at 15:31
  • This is a good answer, and an excellent answer from a new contributor. I have added a credible source to back up and flesh out your answer.
    – Eddie Kal
    Commented Nov 21, 2019 at 15:33

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