Where does “gwizduch” come from?

gwizduch (Polish) comes from Polish gwizd, from Polish gwizdać, from Proto-Slavic gvizdati, from Proto-Indo-European sweysd- — to hiss.

gwizduch (Polish): person dressed as a devil or an animal celebrating Christmas Eve by going from house to house to scare or give presents to children

Definitions

  1. person dressed as a devil or an animal celebrating Christmas Eve by going from house to house to scare or give presents to children

Ancestry of “gwizduch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Polishgwizdwhistle; A similar sound made by some bird...
2Polishgwizdaćto whistle
3Proto-Slavicgvizdati—
4Proto-Indo-Europeansweysd-to hiss
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sweysd- →Every word from Proto-Slavic gvizdati →Every word from Polish gwizdać →