Crookneck
/ˈkrʊk.nɛk/noun
A neck that is bent or twisted; also, a plant or fruit with a curved neck, especially certain squash varieties.
Did you know?Crookneck is a straightforward English compound, but its older cousins trace back to the same Germanic root behind words like crook and crank, both tied to bending, twisting, and hooked shapes.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
crōc
“hook, bend, or something curved”
Old English
OE
hnecca
“neck”
Middle English
ME
crook neck
“a bent or twisted neck”
Late Middle English
ME
crook-neck
“a compound used for a person, animal, or thing with a bent neck”
Modern English
English
crookneck
“a bent neck; later, a curved-neck squash or related plant variety”