Where does “gawk” come from?

Gawk derives from English gaw, which comes from Old Norse gaukr, itself from Old Norse geyja, tracing back through Proto-Germanic gōdaz to Proto-Indo-European gʰedʰ-.

gawk (English): A cuckoo; A fool; a simpleton; a stupid or clumsy...

Definitions

  1. A cuckoo; A fool; a simpleton; a stupid or clumsy...

Ancestry of “gawk”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgowkA cuckoo; A fool; To make foolish; to stupefy
2Middle EnglishgowkeAlternative form of goke
3Old Norsegaukrcuckoo
4Proto-Germanicgaukazcuckoo
5Proto-Indo-EuropeangʰAuǵ-—

Words derived from “gawk”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰAuǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic gaukaz →Every word from Old Norse gaukr →