Where does “spuken” come from?

spuken (German) comes from German Spuk, from Middle Low German spōk, from Middle English spok, from Dutch spook, from Middle Dutch spooc, from Middle Dutch spoke, from Proto-Germanic spōk — spook, ghost, apparition; witchcraft, wizardry.

spuken (German): haunt

Definitions

  1. haunt

Ancestry of “spuken”, step by step

spuken traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Spuk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSpukapparition; manifestation, haunting
2Middle Low Germanspōk
3Middle EnglishspokAlternative form of spoke
4Dutchspookphantom, ghost; horror, terror; an annoying and...
5Middle Dutchspoocapparition, ghost; spook, ghost
6Middle Dutchspoke
7Proto-Germanicspōkspook, ghost, apparition; witchcraft, wizardry

via Middle Low German spȫken

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanspȫken
Every word from Proto-Germanic spōkEvery word from Middle Dutch spokeEvery word from Middle Dutch spooc