Where does “gespenst” come from?

gespenst (German) comes from Middle High German gespenst, from Old High German gispensti, from Old High German spanan — to lure, to attract.

gespenst (German): ghost, spectre

Definitions

  1. ghost, spectre

Ancestry of “gespenst”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germangespenst—
2Old High Germangispenstitemptation, illusion
3Old High Germanspananto lure, to attract

Words derived from “gespenst”

Every word from Old High German spanan →Every word from Old High German gispensti →Every word from Middle High German gespenst →