Where does “spøkelsesby” come from?

spøkelsesby (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk by, from Old Norse bjóða, from Proto-Germanic beudaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- — to be awake, be aware.

spøkelsesby (Norwegian Nynorsk): 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 Nynorsk by

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskbytown, city; to command, order; to bid, offer
2Old Norsebjóðato offer; to bid, invite; to bid, order
3Proto-Germanicbeudanąto offer, to bid
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewdʰ-to be awake, be aware

via Norwegian Nynorsk spøkelse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskspøkelseapparition, ghost, spectre, specter (US), spook
2Middle Low Germanspókenisse
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic beudanąEvery word from Old Norse bjóða