Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “quaken” come from?

quaken (Middle English) comes from Old English cwacian, from Proto-Germanic kwakōną, from Proto-Indo-European gʷog- — to shake, swing.

quaken (Middle English): To tremble with fear or anger; To tremble from...

Definitions

  1. To tremble with fear or anger; To tremble from...

Ancestry of “quaken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishcwacianto quake
2Proto-Germanickwakōnąto shake, quiver, tremble; to croak
3Proto-Indo-Europeangʷog-to shake, swing

Words derived from “quaken”

  • Quaker
  • quake
  • quaking
  • Quakerism
  • Quakeress
  • Quakerish
  • Quakerly
  • seaquake
  • quaky
  • youthquake
  • quaketh
  • quakingly
  • timequake
  • heartquake
  • aquake
  • quakest
  • genderquake
  • quakeproof
  • sunquake
  • quakey
  • icequake
  • waterquake
  • antiquake
  • quaketail
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷog- →