An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/kratzen

by Friedrich Kluge

kratzen, vb., from the equiv. MidHG. kratzen, kretzen, OHG. chrazzôn, ‘to scratch’ (allied to Scand. krota, ‘to dig in,’ Goth. gakrutôn, ‘to grind’); previous to the HG. permutation of consonants *kratton, whence Ital. grattare, Fr. gratter, ‘to scratch.’ Comp. kritzeln.