crow

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A large black bird with a harsh, croaking call.

   A group of crows sat noisily on the bare tree.

2. 2
   verb

   To make the loud, shrill cry of a cock (rooster).

   The rooster crowed loudly at dawn.

3. 3
   verb

   To talk proudly and happily about your own success, often in an annoying way.

   He kept crowing about his victory all evening.

The verb is from Middle English crowen, from Old English crāwan (past tense crēow, past participle crāwen), from Proto-West Germanic *krāan, from Proto-Germanic *krēaną, from imitative Proto-Indo-European *gerH- (“to cry hoarsely”). The noun is from Middle English crowe, from the verb. Compare Dutch kraaien, German krähen, Lithuanian gróti, Russian гра́ять (grájatʹ)). Related to croak.

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