crow

Meaning

Noun

1. A bird, usually black, of the genus Corvus, having a strong conical beak, with projecting bristles; it has a harsh, croaking call.
2. Any of various dark-coloured nymphalid butterflies of the genus Euploea.
3. A bar of iron with a beak, crook or claw; a bar of iron used as a lever; a crowbar.
4. (archaic, slang) Someone who keeps watch while their associates commit a crime; a lookout.
5. (historical) A gangplank (corvus) used by the Ancient Roman navy to board enemy ships.
6. The mesentery of an animal.
7. (derogatory) An ill-tempered and obstinate woman, or one who otherwise has features resembling the bird; a harpy.
8. (ethnic, offensive, slang, slur) A black person.
9. (slang) The emblem of an eagle, a sign of military rank.

Adj

Dark black, the color of a crow; crow-black.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To make the shrill sound characteristic of a rooster; to make a sound in this manner, either in gaiety, joy, pleasure, or defiance.
2. (intransitive) To shout in exultation or defiance; to brag.
3. (intransitive) To test the reed of a double reed instrument by placing the reed alone in the mouth and blowing it.

Synonyms

raven

boast

brag

rook

cock-a-doodle-doo

crowbar

cry

😢

bragging

gasconade

sing

caw

talk big

blow one’s own trumpet

triumph

😤

crowing

line-shooting

vaporing

chirp

kite

🪁

sob

😭

scream

😱

vaunt

gloat

burp

cackle

exult

sneeze

strut

swagger

breaker bar

cock-a-doodle-do

make sound

Common Raven

be triumphant

announce

Northern Raven

bark

bird

🐦

blackbird

boasting

burble

carrion

cluck

coo

cormorant

croak

crossbow

daw

eagle

🦅

gaper

Translations

corbeau

corneille

Krähe

cuervo

kraai

cornacchia

chanter

corneja

corvo

corvo

κουρούνα

krähen

cornella

Rabe

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kɹəʊ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: crowe

Inherited from Old English: crāwe

Cognate with Western Frisian: krie

Cognate with Dutch: kraai

Cognate with German: Krähe

Inherited from Middle English: crowen

Inherited from Old English: crāwan

Cognate with Dutch: kraaien

Cognate with German: krähen

Cognate with Lithuanian: gróti

Cognate with Russian: гра́ять

In summary

From Middle English crowe, from Old English crāwe, from Proto-West Germanic *krāā, from Proto-Germanic *krēǭ (compare West Frisian krie, Dutch kraai, German Krähe), from *krēaną (“to crow”). See below.