stare

stare · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*ster-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*starjaną
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*starēn
4. Old English · inherited fromstarian“to stare”
5. Middle English · inherited fromstaren
6. English todaystare

From Middle English staren, from Old English starian (“to stare”), from Proto-West Germanic *starēn, from Proto-Germanic *starjaną, *starāną (“to be fixed, be rigid”), from Proto-Indo-European *ster-. Cognate with Dutch staren (“to stare”), German starren (“to stare”), German starr (“stiff”). More at start.

stare · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*stor-“starling”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*starô“starling”
3. Old English · inherited fromstær“starling”
4. Middle English · inherited fromstar
5. English todaystare

From Middle English star, ster, from Old English stær (“starling”), from Proto-Germanic *starô (“starling”), from Proto-Indo-European *stor- (“starling”). Cognate with German Star (“starling”), Danish stær (“starling”), Swedish stare (“starling”), Norwegian Nynorsk stare (“starling”), Icelandic stari (“starling”). Compare also Old English stearn (“a type of bird, starling”).

Stare · proper noun³

1. Proto-Slavic · derived from*stàrъ
2. Ukrainian · borrowed fromСтаре́
3. Polish · borrowed fromStare
4. English todayStare

From Polish Stare and Ukrainian Старе́ (Staré), both neuter substantives of adjectives — Polish stary and Ukrainian стари́й (starýj) — meaning “old”, both of which ultimately descend from Proto-Slavic *stàrъ. Compare Staroye.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 9th c. A starling.