Where does “crawdad” come from?
crawdad (English) comes from English crawfish, from Middle English crevis, from Old French crevice, from Old High German krebiz, from Proto-West Germanic krabit, from Proto-Germanic krabitaz, from Proto-Indo-European grebʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ger- — to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...
crawdad (English): The crayfish
Ancestry of “crawdad”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | crawfish | Various freshwater crustaceans, crayfish; Various... |
| 2 | Middle English | crevis | crayfish, lobster |
| 3 | Old French | crevice | crayfish, crawfish |
| 4 | Old High German | krebiz | edible crustacean, crab |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | krabit | crustacean |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | krabitaz | crustacean |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | grebʰ- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |