Middle English word gnast comes from Proto-Germanic *ga-, Proto-Germanic *hnaistô, and later Old English *gnast (Spark.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *ga- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Indicates association or togetherness; co-.. Indicates completeness or wholeness. In verbs, also indicates perfectivity (a finished action). |
| *hnaistô | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *gahnaistô | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *gnast | Old English (ang) | Spark. |
| *gnāst | Old English (ang) | |
| knast | Middle English (enm) |