Where does “herumgeistern” come from?

herumgeistern (German) comes from German herum, from Middle High German ümbe, from Old High German umbi, from Proto-West Germanic umbi, from Proto-Germanic umbi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts — on, onto.

herumgeistern (German): to haunt, to move around

Definitions

  1. to haunt, to move around

Ancestry of “herumgeistern”, step by step

herumgeistern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German herum

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanherumabout, around. "Schaue um dich herum." - Look...
2Middle High Germanümbe—
3Old High Germanumbiaround
4Proto-West Germanicumbiaround
5Proto-Germanicumbiaround, about
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via German geistern

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangeistern—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts →
herumgeistern — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer