Where does “Näcken” come from?

Näcken (Swedish) comes from Old Norse nykr, from Proto-Germanic nikwiz-, from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- — to wash.

Näcken (Swedish): Nix; a water creature in human form who, among other things, lures people to drown in his river by his wonderful violin playing

Definitions

  1. Nix; a water creature in human form who, among other things, lures people to drown in his river by his wonderful violin playing

Ancestry of “Näcken”, 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 →