Quack
/kwæk/noun
A person who pretends to have medical skills or knowledge, often to deceive others.
Did you know?The term 'quack' originated from the Middle Dutch word 'quacken', which literally meant 'to croak or quack'—evoking the sound of deception and trickery.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Dutch
MDu
quacken
“to croak or make a screeching noise, resembling a duck's quack.”
Late 15th Century
Middle English
quak
“a term for a person who claims to be a physician, often used derogatorily.”
16th Century
English
quack
“a charlatan or fraudulent practitioner of medicine.”
19th Century
English
quack
“broader use to describe anyone pretending to have expertise or credentials.”
Modern English
English
quack
“commonly refers to fraudulent healthcare providers and has a lingering connotation of deception.”
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