Where does “cray-cray” come from?

cray-cray (English) comes from English crazy, from English craze, from Middle English crasen, from Old Norse krasa — to shatter.

cray-cray (English): Crazy

Definitions

  1. Crazy

Ancestry of “cray-cray”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcrazyFlawed or damaged; unsound, liable to break...
2Englishcrazecraziness; insanity; A strong habitual desire or...
3Middle EnglishcrasenTo break in pieces; to crack
4Old Norsekrasato shatter
Every word from Old Norse krasa →Every word from Middle English crasen →Every word from English craze →