Where does “Gespenst” come from?
Gespenst (German) comes from Middle High German gespenste, from Old High German gispensti, from Old High German spanan — to lure, to attract.
Gespenst (German): ghost, spectre
Ancestry of “Gespenst”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | gespenste | — |
| 2 | Old High German | gispensti | temptation, illusion |
| 3 | Old High German | spanan | to lure, to attract |
Words derived from “Gespenst”