this word comes from english dialect words (words that are used in certain places) "geek, geck": fool, freak; from low german "geck", from middle low german. a different form of the word "geck" is still used in dutch and afrikaans "gek": crazy. other forms of "geck" are also used in some german dialects, and in the alsatian word "gickeleshut": geek's hat, used in carnivals.