Where does “nykk” come from?

nykk (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse nykr, from Proto-Germanic nikwiz-, from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- — to wash.

nykk (Norwegian Nynorsk): A nix; in Norwegian folklore, a supernatural...

Definitions

  1. A nix; in Norwegian folklore, a supernatural...

Ancestry of “nykk”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsenykra water-demon, the nixie, the nick; mostly appearing as a grey horse-like creature with inverted hoofs and forward fetlocks that emerges from lakes
2Proto-Germanicnikwiz-—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanneygʷ-to wash
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic nikwiz- →Every word from Old Norse nykr →