Where does “åkerspöke” come from?

åkerspöke (Swedish) comes from Swedish spöke, from Danish spøg, from Middle English spok, from Dutch spook, from Middle Dutch spooc, from Middle Dutch spoke, from Proto-Germanic spōk — spook, ghost, apparition; witchcraft, wizardry.

åkerspöke (Swedish): a scarecrow (effigy to deter birds)

Definitions

  1. a scarecrow (effigy to deter birds)

Ancestry of “åkerspöke”, step by step

åkerspöke traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish spöke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishspökea ghost (spirit appearing after death)
2Danishspøgjoke, jest; imperative of spøge
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 Swedish åker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishåkerfield; a wide, open space that is used to grow...
2Old Swedishakerfield, cultivated land
3Old Norseákracre
4Proto-Germanicakrazfield, open land
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵrosfield, pasturage
Every word from Proto-Germanic spōkEvery word from Middle Dutch spokeEvery word from Middle Dutch spooc