crow Meaning & Definition
What Does Crow Mean?
Crow is used as a noun meaning any of various large usually entirely glossy black passerine birds (family Corvidae and especially genus Corvus). It is also used to mean corvus. As a verb, it means to make the loud shrill sound characteristic of a cock.
Crow in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkrō/ |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | gloat, brag and crowing |
| Antonyms | bemoan, bewail and grieve |
| Plural | crows |
| Verb forms | crows, crowing, crowed |
Crow Definition (Noun)
- any of various large usually entirely glossy black passerine birds (family Corvidae and especially genus Corvus)
- corvus
- humble pie
the braggart was forced to eat crow
Crow as a Verb
- to make the loud shrill sound characteristic of a cock
- to utter a sound expressive of pleasure
- to exult gloatingly especially over the distress of another
- to brag exultantly or blatantly
- to say with self-satisfaction
Noun
- the cry of the cock
- a triumphant cry
Noun
- a member of an Indigenous people of the Great Plains between the Platte and Yellowstone rivers
- the Siouan language of the Crow people
Synonyms of Crow
Antonyms of Crow
Crow in a Sentence
If you wanna get inside, you're gonna have to crow open that door.
He’s been crowing all day about winning the game of cards.
the braggart was forced to eat crow
being the home of the new Super Bowl champs was the first thing that city residents had to crow about in a very long time
the in-your-face crowing by some of the winning athletes at the Olympics was embarrassing
Word Forms & Grammar
Crow
Crows
crow
crows
crowed
crew
crow·ing
crowing
crow (plural crows)
crow (third-person singular simple present crows, present participle crowing, simple past and past participle crowed)
crow (third-person singular simple present crows, present participle crowing, simple past crowed or (UK) crew, past participle crowed or (UK) crew or (archaic) crown)
crow (uncountable)
Words That Rhyme With Crow
Origin of Crow
Origin 1: Middle English crowe, from Old English crāwe; akin to Old High German krāwa crow, Old English crāwan to crow
Origin 2: Middle English, from Old English crāwan
Origin 3: translation of American French gens des Corbeaux "crow people," or names of similar meaning in the languages of Plains peoples adjacent to the Crows
Origin 4: From Middle English crowe, from Old English crāwe, from Proto-West Germanic *krāā, from Proto-Germanic *krēǭ (compare West Frisian krie, Dutch kraai, German Krähe), from *krēaną (“to crow”). See below.
Origin 5: The verb is a back-formation from crowbar.
Origin 6: The verb is from Middle English crowen, from Old English crāwan (past tense crēow, past participle crāwen), from Proto-West Germanic *krāan, from Proto-Germanic *krēaną, from imitative Proto-Indo-European *gerH- (“to cry hoarsely”).[1]
Origin 7: The noun is from Middle English crowe, from the verb.[2][3]
First Known Use
before 12th century
before 12th centuryi
12th century
1801
How to Pronounce Crow
Crow is pronounced /ˈkrō/ and has 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crow
Is crow a noun or a verb?
Crow is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for crow?
Words with a similar meaning to crow include gloat, brag and crowing. See the full list of crow synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of crow?
Words opposite in meaning to crow are bemoan, bewail, grieve and lament.
What is the plural of crow?
The plural of crow is crows.
What is the past tense of crow?
The past tense of crow is crowed. The present participle is crowing.