An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Bake

by Friedrich Kluge

Bake, f., ‘a mark at the entrance of a harbour as a warning against shallows, buoy’; from Fris. like other technical terms relating to the sea, Fris. bâken (comp. Back), whence LG. bâke, Du. baak. It is based upon Goth. *baukn, n., which by a regular change became beácen, ‘beacon,’ in AS.; comp. E. beacon and beckon. OHG. bouhhan, MidHG. bouchen, OLG. bôcan, ‘beacon, model,’ are corresponding terms. Thus the OTeut. word meant generally ‘sign.’ Bake has been restricted to a definite caution signal.