state

state · noun, verb, adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
2. Proto-Indo-European*stéh₂-tu-s ~ *sth₂-téw-s
3. Proto-Italic*status
4. Latinstatu
5. Old Frenchestat
6. Middle Englishstat
7. English todaystate

From Middle English stat (as a noun); adopted c. 1200 from both Old French estat and Latin stātus (“manner of standing, attitude, position, carriage, manner, dress, apparel; and other senses”), from stāre (“to stand”). Doublet of estate and status. The sense of "polity" develops in the 14th century. Compare French être, Greek στέω (stéo), Italian stare, Portuguese estar, Romanian sta, and Spanish estar. The verb is first attested around the beginning of the 16th century. Related to English stand. Displaced native Old English hād (“state, condition”) and Old English cynewīse (“state, nation”).

State · noun, proper noun²

Capitalization of state.

Words from the same roots