An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/krähen

by Friedrich Kluge

krähen, vb., ‘to crow,’ from the equiv. MidHG. krœ̂n, krœ̂jen (pret. krâte), OHG. chrâen, vb.; corresponding to AS. crâwan (pret. creów), E. to crow, and the equiv. Du. kraaijen; a specifically West Teut. vb., in Goth. hrûkjan. That it was not orig. used of the cock alone is attested by the etymology of Krähe, and also by the compounds, OHG. hanachrât, OSax. hanocrâd, AS. hancrêd, ‘cock-crow, crowing.’ The Teut. stem. krê-, krêw may be connected with OSlov. grąja, grajati, ‘to croak,’ and Lith. gróju, gróti, ‘to croak.’