An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Krücke

by Friedrich Kluge

Krücke, feminine, ‘crutch,’ from the equivalent Middle High German krücke, krucke, Old High German chruccha (for *krukjô), feminine; compare Dutch kruk, Anglo-Saxon cryčč, feminine English crutch. Certainly a genuine Teutonic word (‘staff with a curved handle’); it is most closely connected with Scandinavian krókr, ‘hook, curve’; it may also be related to kriechen. In the Middle High German period it was confused with a Romance term based upon Latin crucea, and meaning ‘crosier.’ On the other hand, the Teutonic word was submerged in many of the Romance languages in the old inherited term; Italian croccia, ‘crutch,’ crocco, ‘hook,’ French crosse, ‘crook,’ croc, ‘hook’; Middle Latin croca, ‘baculus episcopalis,’ crocea, ‘baculus pastoralis’ and ‘baculus incurvus,’ croceus, croccia, crucia, crucca, ‘crutch,’ Krücke can scarcely be explained from Middle Latin crucea, ‘cross-bar’ (of a window), because this must have become chruzza (ce changed to tz); compare Kreuz.