craw

Meanings

1. The stomach of an animal.
2. The crop of a bird.

1. To caw, crow.

1. A surname.

Etymology

Late Middle English, also attested as craue, from or related to Middle Dutch crāghe or Middle Low German crāghe (“collar, neck”), from Proto-Germanic *kragô (“throat”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *gʷrogʰ- or *gʷrh₃-gʰ- (“throat, gullet”), whence also Proto-Celtic *brāgants (“throat, gullet”) and perhaps Ancient Greek βρόχθος (brókhthos, “throat”). The root appears to be an extension of Proto-Indo-European *gʷerh₃- (“to swallow, devour”), though the identity and meaning of the suffix is unclear. Compare Latin gurges (“gulf, bay; whirlpool, eddy”). Other Germanic cognates include Danish krave, German Kragen (“collar”) and Old Dutch kraga (“neck”) (whence modern Dutch kraag). See also crag (Etymology 2).