crotte

excrement of human or animal origin; dropping; turd; dung; a miserable or dangerous situation; shit

Attested since the late 12th century as crotes de chievres (“goat droppings”); probably from Old Dutch *krotta, deduced from Rhine Franconian krotz (“poorly molded brick; thick earthclod; shriveled fruit; remnant”), with the original meaning being “ballshaped excrement”; compare Middle English crote (“small piece; fragment”). Unrelated to Middle Dutch krotte (“mud besmeared on clothing”), which is not attested therein a. 1599.