An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/wacker

by Friedrich Kluge

wacker, adjective, ‘valiant, gallant, honest,’ from Middle High German wacker (wacher), Old High German wacchar (wahhhar), adjective, ‘cheerful, lively, awake’; compare Dutch wakker, ‘awake, awakened, cheerful, powerful,’ Anglo-Saxon wacor, ‘awake,’ Old Icelandic wakr, ‘stirring, awake.’ An old derivative to Sanscrit vigra, ‘powerful, active’) from the Teutonic root wak, ‘to be stirring, brisk’ (see wecken); compare also wach.