Several months ago, we talked about the many faces of "mug." In that segment, Rebecca Hector noted that calling someone’s face a “mug” sounded like something a crotchety uncle might say. Her choice of adjective, "crotchety," caught the ear of listener Ralph Heid.
"What an odd adjective," Heid wrote. ['Crotchety'] doesn’t seem to have anything to do with an area of the body or with crocheting, so what gives?" Heid asked.
What gives is that "crotchety" and "crochet" actually are related. They both go back the French word "crochet," meaning "hook."
"Crochet" was borrowed into English in the 1400s, with the pronunciation "CROTCH-it." At first, it referred to a hook, especially ornamental hooks, like the kind used as dress fasteners. Over time, it took on additional meanings in areas like music and typography.
In the 1500s, a "crochet" came to refer to what the Oxford English Dictionary describes as "a whimsical fancy" or "an odd notion" that someone has, often in opposition to widely held views. This meaning gave way to phrases like "whims and crochets."
This more figurative meaning is where we get "crotchety." By the mid-1800s, "crochety" meant "given to or full of crotchets." Over time, it underwent a process known as pejoration, which is when a word takes on a more negative meaning. That's how "crotchety" came to mean what it usually does today: cranky or ornery.
Meanwhile, "crochet," this time pronounced "croh-SHAY," was borrowed into English in the mid-1800s to refer to knitting done with a hooked and needle. So "hook" is what hooks "crochet" and "crochety" together, as unlikely as that connection may seem.
Since we're already talking about hooks and how words change over time, we decided we should also look at "crank," which has a similar origin story. To hear it, listen to the audio above.
