Where does “aprilspøk” come from?

aprilspøk (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk spøk, from Middle Low German spȫken, from Middle English spok, from Dutch spook, from Middle Dutch spooc, from Middle Dutch spoke, from Proto-Germanic spōk — spook, ghost, apparition; witchcraft, wizardry.

aprilspøk (Norwegian Nynorsk): April fool

Definitions

  1. April fool

Ancestry of “aprilspøk”, step by step

aprilspøk traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Nynorsk spøk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskspøkjoke
2Middle Low Germanspȫken—
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 Norwegian Nynorsk april

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian NynorskaprilApril fourth month
2LatinAprīlisOf April
3Etruscan𐌖𐌓𐌐𐌀—
4Ancient GreekἈφροδίτηAphrodite; {{l|en|Aphrodite}}; Venus
Every word from Proto-Germanic spōk →Every word from Middle Dutch spoke →Every word from Middle Dutch spooc →