An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Geck

by Friedrich Kluge

Geck, masculine, ‘fool, fop, buffoon,’ originally Middle German (and Low German), in which gëc, gëcke, masculine, ‘silly fellow, fool, droll fellow,’ occurs even in the Middle High German period; not allied to Middle High German giege, ‘fool,’ mentioned under gaufeln. Compare Dutch gek, masculine, Danish gjœk, ‘fool,’ Icelandic gikkr, ‘crafty, coarse person.’