Where does “croak” come from?

Croak comes from Middle English croken, derived from Old Norse krókr, which traces to Proto-Indo-European greh₂-k-, ultimately from the root ger-.

croak (English): A faint, harsh sound made in the throat; The cry...

Definitions

  1. A faint, harsh sound made in the throat; The cry...

Ancestry of “croak”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishcrokenTo be bent; to curve; To make bent; to crook; To...
2Old Englishcrācettanto croak
3Proto-Germanickrēk-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature

Words derived from “croak”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic krēk- →Every word from Old English crācettan →
croak — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer