Shriek
/ʃriːk/noun
To utter a sharp, high-pitched cry; also, a sudden piercing cry.
Did you know?English shriek is a sound-symbolic word recorded from the 16th century, and its old Germanic cousins show the same harsh, cutting sound pattern that makes it feel almost like a vocal alarm.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sker-
“to cut, scratch, or make a sharp sound”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skrīkaną
“to cry out, shriek”
Old English
OE
scrēcan
“to shriek, scream”
Middle English
ME
shriken / shriken
“to shriek or cry out sharply”
16th Century
English
shriek
“to utter a sharp, piercing cry”
Modern English
English
shriek
“to utter a high, sharp cry”