Where does “croaking” come from?

Croaking derives from Middle English croken, from Old Norse krókr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ger-, a root associated with turning or bending motions.

croaking (English): present participle of croak; The sound of...

Definitions

  1. present participle of croak; The sound of...

Ancestry of “croaking”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcroakA faint, harsh sound made in the throat; The cry...
2Middle EnglishcrokenTo be bent; to curve; To make bent; to crook; To...
3Old Englishcrācettanto croak
4Proto-Germanickrēk-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature

Words derived from “croaking”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic krēk- →Every word from Old English crācettan →