crake: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (specialised ornithological/archaic)Technical (ornithology), Literary (archaic)
Quick answer
What does “crake” mean?
A secretive marsh bird of the rail family, with a distinctive repetitive call (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A secretive marsh bird of the rail family, with a distinctive repetitive call (e.g., corncrake, spotted crake).
May refer generally to small, elusive rails or similar wetland birds. Rarely, an archaic term for a crack or boast.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. 'Corncrake' is more familiar in UK/Ireland due to its historical presence. In North America, 'sora' (a type of crake) is a more common vernacular name.
Connotations
Evokes wetland conservation (UK/EU) due to the corncrake's endangered status. In the US, associated with birdwatching lists.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects outside ornithology.
Grammar
How to Use “crake” in a Sentence
The [adjective] crake [verb].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crake” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Archaic) He would crake endlessly about his exploits, to everyone's annoyance.
American English
- (Archaic) She craked of her journey, but few believed her tales.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in ornithology, ecology, and conservation biology texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term in field guides and bird taxonomy for certain Rallidae species.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crake”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crake”
- Misspelling as 'craak' or 'creak'. Using as a common noun instead of part of a compound name (e.g., 'I saw a crake' vs. 'I saw a spotted crake').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency, specialised term. Most native speakers would only know it from compound names like 'corncrake' or in birdwatching contexts.
The corncrake (Crex crex), known for its rasping call and conservation status in Europe.
Only in archaic contexts, where it meant 'to cry out harshly' or 'to boast'. This usage is obsolete.
It is typically used as part of a bird's full name: 'We are monitoring the spotted crake population.' Using it alone ('I saw a crake') is vague and unusual.
A secretive marsh bird of the rail family, with a distinctive repetitive call (e.
Crake is usually technical (ornithology), literary (archaic) in register.
Crake: in British English it is pronounced /kreɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /kreɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'The crake makes a **crack**-ing call at the **lake**.'
Conceptual Metaphor
NOT APPLICABLE (highly specific referent).
Practice
Quiz
In modern English, the word 'crake' is most accurately defined as: