Where does “ghostwriter” come from?

ghostwriter (Portuguese) comes from English ghostwriter, from English ghost, from Middle English gost, from Old English gāst, from Proto-West Germanic gaist, from Proto-Germanic gaistaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeysd- — anger, agitation.

ghostwriter (Portuguese): ghostwriter professional writer for another person

Definitions

  1. ghostwriter professional writer for another person

Ancestry of “ghostwriter”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishghostwriterA professional writer who is paid to write...
2EnglishghostThe spirit; the soul of man; The disembodied...
3Middle Englishgosta spiritual being; angel, devil, spirit; soul of...
4Old Englishgāstbreath, soul, spirit, ghost, being
5Proto-West Germanicgaistghost, spirit
6Proto-Germanicgaistazterror, fear; spirit, ghost; mind
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeysd-anger, agitation
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeysd-Every word from Proto-Germanic gaistazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic gaist