Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

querken

transitive verb
querk·​en | \ -kən\
-ed/-ing/-s

Definition of querken

dialectal, chiefly England
: to cause to gasp : choke

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for querken

Middle English querkenen; akin to Old Frisian querka, quertza to choke, Middle Low German querken, Old Norse kyrkja, kvirkja; denominatives from the root of Old Norse kverk throat

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about querken

Dictionary Entries near querken

querimonious

querist

querk

querken

querl

quern

quernstone

Statistics for querken

Look-up Popularity

Comments on querken

What made you want to look up querken? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

flounce

Listen to the pronounciation of flounce

to move with exaggerated bouncy motions

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Finance Words Quiz

  • a-piggy-bank
  • The etymology of mortgage is related most closely to which two words?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games