Where does “geist” come from?
geist (Middle High German) comes from Old High German geist, from Proto-West Germanic gaist, from Proto-Germanic gaistaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeysd- — anger, agitation.
Ancestry of “geist”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | geist | spirit |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | gaist | ghost, spirit |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | gaistaz | terror, fear; spirit, ghost; mind |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰeysd- | anger, agitation |
Words derived from “geist”