Word
kraken
Phoneticskrak·en, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɹɑkən/
UK/kɹˈeɪkən/
Countable noun
Definition
n. A giant, mythical sea monster from old Scandinavian stories that looks like an enormous octopus or squid. Sailors believed it could pull whole ships underwater.
n. A legendary sea monster of giant proportions, traditionally depicted as a colossal squid or octopus in Scandinavian folklore.
Examples
“Legends say the kraken lives deep in the ocean.”
“In old stories, sailors fear the kraken because it can wrap its giant tentacles around a ship and pull it down.”
“Scandinavian folklore abounds with tales of the kraken, a mythical cephalopod of monstrous proportions capable of capsizing entire vessels and creating whirlpools in its wake.”
Examples
simple
“Legends say the kraken lives deep in the ocean.”
contextual
“In old stories, sailors fear the kraken because it can wrap its giant tentacles around a ship and pull it down.”
complex
“Scandinavian folklore abounds with tales of the kraken, a mythical cephalopod of monstrous proportions capable of capsizing entire vessels and creating whirlpools in its wake.”
Usage
Often capitalised as 'the Kraken'.
Etymology
From Norwegian kraken, the definite singular of krake ("crooked dead tree, wooden drag/grapnel"), itself from Old Norse kraki — literally "crookie", something equipped with hooks or crooks. The Old Norse derives from Proto-Germanic \krankaz*, "crooked".
The word entered English as the name for a sea monster off the coast of Norway, the creature perhaps imagined from the shape of a driftwood snag rising from the water.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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