An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/krank
krank, adjective, ‘sick, ill,’ from Middle High German kranc (k), adjective, ‘narrow, slender, slight, powerless, weak, null’ (in Old High German not yet found). The earliest references are in the first half of the 12th century, therefore krank is most frequently regarded as a Low German loan-word; but the late appearance of the word cannot be accepted as a proof of its having been borrowed, since this is not supported by its form, which may be derived from an Old Teutonic source; compare Old High German chrancholôn, ‘to grow weak, stumble’; Anglo-Saxon cranc, ‘feeble, infirm,’ also occurs rarely. For the further history of the word we must at all events proceed from the latter meaning (siech is the Old Teutonic adjective for ‘sick’); Scandinavian krankr, ‘sick,’ is borrowed from German (*krakkr must have been the native form); a genuine Scandinavian krangr, ‘feeble,’ also occurs. The common West Teutonic adjective kranka- is connected with Anglo-Saxon cringan, literally ‘to writhe like one mortally wounded, salt in fight, fall with a crash’ (thus closely allied in meaning to Anglo-Saxon cranc, ‘infirm, tottering’). With the same root kring, krink, are connected Modern High German Kring, ‘circular pad for the head,’ English crank, to crankle, crinkle. —