An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kranich

by Friedrich Kluge

Kranich, m., from the equiv. MidHG. kranech (kręnich), m., OHG. chranuh, chranih (hh), m., ‘crane’ (bird); also without the guttural suffix, MidHG. krane, which agrees with the MidG., LG., and E. forms (Du. kraan, f., ‘crane’ — bird, and then machine; AS. cran and cornuc, E. crane in both senses). In the Scand. languages, OIc. trane, m., ‘crane,’ seems to be connected with these. The suffix ch in ModHG. is Goth. k in ahaks, ‘pigeon,’ AS. hafoc, ‘Habich-t’ (hawk). The corresponding words for ‘crane’ in the other West Aryan languages (prim. form ger-w) are the most closely allied — Gr. γέρανος, Kelt. and W. garan; also OSlov. žeravĭ, Lith. gérwê, f., Lat. grus (gen. gru-is), corresponds to OHG. chreia, ‘crane.’ The derivation of Gr. γέρανος, from γεράσκω, root ger, ‘to grow old,’ as if the crane were remarkable for its great age, is open to objection. Further, the crane is one of the few names of birds (see Drossel) in which several Aryan stems coincide. Comp. also Krahn and Krammetsvogel.