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Added 9 October 2026

crouch

/ˈkɹaʊ̯t͡ʃ/ verb

In Latin: conquiniscō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about crouch at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To bend down; to stoop low; to stand close to the ground with legs bent, like an animal when waiting for prey, or someone in fear.
We crouched behind the low wall until the squad of soldiers had passed by.
To bend servilely; to bow in reverence or humility.

noun

A bent or stooped position.
The cat waited in a crouch, hidden behind the hedge.

noun

A cross.

verb

To sign with the cross; bless.

Origin

From Middle English crouchen (“to bend, crouch”), variant of croken (“to bend, crook”), from crok (“crook, hook”), from Old Norse krókr (“hook”), from Proto-Germanic *krōkaz (“hook”), from Proto-Indo-European *gerg- (“wicker, bend”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to turn, wind, weave”). Compare Middle Dutch krōken (“to crook, curl”). More at crook.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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