Etymology

John-a-Stiles

Today it means: A placeholder name for a party wishing to remain unidentified, who should remain unidentified, or who is unknown. Full definition →

Early Modern English John at Stile ← Middle English John atte stile
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The story

  1. Middle English · inherited fromJohn atte stile
  2. Early Modern English · inherited fromJohn at Stile
  3. English todayJohn-a-Stiles

From Early Modern English John at Stile, from Middle English John atte stile

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.