crochet (English)
Where does "crochet" come from?
The English word 'crochet' traces its roots back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*gerg-' meaning 'tracery, basket, or twist'[1][5]. This evolved into the Proto-Germanic '*krōkaz' meaning 'hook'[1][5], which influenced the Old Norse 'krókr' and the Frankish '*krōk'[1][2]. These forms contributed to the Old French 'croc' meaning 'hook'[1][2]. The diminutive 'crochet' eventually emerged in Old French as a term for a curved instrument[1]. It is a doublet of 'crocket', 'croquet', and 'crotchet'.
Open questions
- The derivation from Frankish '*krōk' is considered an alternative to the potential derivation from Old Norse 'krókr'. [1] [2]
- The reconstructed Proto-Indo-European form is variously cited as '*gerg-' or '*greh₂ǵos'. [1] [5]
Full etymology tree
- crochet (English), 'A form of needlework that is made by looping thread with a hooked needle.'
- borrowed crochet (French), 'hook (rod bent into a curved shape)'
- inherited crochet (Middle French)
- inherited crochet (Old French)
- derived croc (Old French), 'hook'
- borrowed *krōk (Frankish)
- inherited *krōkaz (Proto-Germanic), 'something bent, a hook'
- derived *greh₂ǵos (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *ger- (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *greh₂ǵos (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *krōkaz (Proto-Germanic), 'something bent, a hook'
- borrowed krókr (Old Norse), 'hook'
- inherited *krōkaz (Proto-Germanic), 'something bent, a hook'
- derived *greh₂ǵos (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *ger- (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *greh₂ǵos (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *krōkaz (Proto-Germanic), 'something bent, a hook'
- borrowed *krōk (Frankish)
- affix -et (Old French), 'Used to form a diminutive, masculine noun.'
- derived croc (Old French), 'hook'
- inherited crochet (Old French)
- inherited crochet (Middle French)
- borrowed crochet (French), 'hook (rod bent into a curved shape)'
Ancestors
- crochet (French)
- croc (Old French)
- krókr (Old Norse)
- *krōkaz (Proto-Germanic)
Cognates and doublets
- crocket (English)
- croquet (English)
- crotchet (English)
Descendants and derived words
- antecrochet (English)
- crocheter (English)
- crochet hook (English)
- crochetlike (English)
- crochetwork (English)
- double crochet (English)
- magnetic crochet (English)
- single crochet (English)
Sources
- crochet (English) - Wiktionary
- croc (Old French) - Wiktionary
- crochet (French) - Wiktionary
- krókr (Old Norse) - Wiktionary
- krōkaz (Proto-Germanic) - Wiktionary
- croc (French) - Wiktionary
Updated August 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris