Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “crotch” come from?

Crotch comes from Middle English crotche, from Old French croche, from Old French croc meaning "hook," from Frankish krok, from Proto-Germanic krōkaz, from Proto-Indo-European ger-.

crotch (English): The area where something forks or branches, a...

Definitions

  1. The area where something forks or branches, a...

Ancestry of “crotch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcroche—
2Old Frenchcrochehooked; curved; hook
3Old Frenchcrochook; a hook-shaped weapon; grappling hook
4Frankishkrōkhook
5Proto-Germanickrōkazsomething bent, a hook
6Proto-Indo-Europeangerg-to shout; tracery, basket, twist; wicker, bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeanger-to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...

Words derived from “crotch”

  • crotched
  • crotchless
  • crotchful
  • crotchline
  • crotchal
  • crotchling
  • crotchdropping
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ger- →