Croak

wiktionary

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From Middle English *croken, crouken, (also represented by craken > crake), back-formation from Old English crācettan(“to croak”) (also in derivative crǣcettung(“croaking”)), from Proto-Germanic *krēk- (compare Swedish kråka, German krächzen), from Proto-Indo-European *greh₂-k- (compare Latin grāculus(“jackdaw”), Serbo-Croatian grákati).

etymonline

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croak (v.)

early 14c., crouken, of birds (crow, raven, crane), "make a low, hoarse sound," imitative or related to Old English cracian (see crack (v.)). Of frogs, c. 1400. Meaning "forebode evil, complain, grumble" is from mid-15c., perhaps from the raven as a bird of foreboding. Slang meaning "to die" is first recorded 1812, from sound of death rattle. Related: Croaked; croaking.

croak (n.)

"a low, hoarse, guttural sound," 1560s, from croak (v.).