Where does “spøkelsesby” come from?

spøkelsesby (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Norwegian Bokmål by, from Danish by, from Old Norse bǿr, from Old Norse búa, from Proto-Germanic būaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- — to become, grow, appear.

spøkelsesby (Norwegian Bokmål): a ghost town

Definitions

  1. a ghost town

Ancestry of “spøkelsesby”, step by step

spøkelsesby traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Bokmål by

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålbytown, city; to bid; offer; to ask; invite
2Danishbytown, city
3Old Norsebǿrfarm; town
4Old Norsebúato reside; to prepare; to dress, decorate
5Proto-Germanicbūanąto dwell, reside
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuH-to become, grow, appear

via Norwegian Bokmål spøkelse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålspøkelseapparition, ghost, spectre, specter (US), spook
2Middle Low Germanspókenisse—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic būaną →Every word from Old Norse búa →