An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Gespenst

by Friedrich Kluge

Gespenst, n., ‘spectre, ghost,’ from Mid HG. gespęnste, n. (gespęnst, gespanst, f.), ‘enticement, allurement, infernal illusion, ghost,’ OHG. gispanst, f., ‘enticement’; the latter meaning is the original one, since Gespenst (see also ab-, widerspenstig), according to its form, is a verbal abstract of an OTeut. spanan, ‘to entice.’ Comp. OSax. and OHG. spanan, ‘to entice, charm,’ MidHG. spanen (comp. Gr. σπάω).