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

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷog-Every word from Proto-Germanic kwakōnąEvery word from Old English cwacian
quaken — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer