Meaning

noun small usually bright-colored semiaquatic salamanders of North America and Europe and northern Asia

originFrom Middle English newte, newete, from rebracketing of Middle English an ewte as a newte (for similar misdivisions compare adder, nickname, apron, umpire, etc.). Middle English evete, eute, euete, ewte (“newt”), derives from Old English efete (“lizard; newt”). Doublet of eft.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0