English
chirk
Chirk comes from Old English ċearcian ‘to chatter, creak, crash’, from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn ‘to make a sound, crack’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gerh₂-‘to make a sound, cry hoarsely’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gerg-reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*krakōn‘to make a sound, crack’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ċearcian‘to chatter, creak, crash’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500chirken
- Englishtodaychirk
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gerh₂-‘to make a sound, cry hoarsely’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gerg-reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*krakōn‘to make a sound, crack’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ċearcian‘to chatter, creak, crash’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500chirken
- Englishtodaychirk
The story
Related also to crake, crack.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- ‘to make a sound, cry hoarsely’
through Proto-Indo-European *gerg-
crochet, crouch, encroach, 5 more
through Proto-West Germanic *krakōn ‘to make a sound, crack’
through Old English ċearcian ‘to chatter, creak, crash’
Today it means
verb To become happier.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- / chirk