Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “scrēawa” come from?

scrēawa (Old English) comes from Proto-Germanic skrawwaz, from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- — to caw, crow.

scrēawa (Old English): wicked person; shrew

Definitions

  1. wicked person; shrew

Ancestry of “scrēawa”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicskrawwazthin; meagre; frail
2Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

Words derived from “scrēawa”

  • shrew
  • shrewish
  • beshrew
  • shrewishness
  • shrewishly
  • shrewmouse
  • shrewlike
  • shreward
  • schrewe
  • schrowe
  • beschrewen
  • schrewen
  • screwe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- →