staunch

staunch · adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*steh₂-“to stand (up)”
2. Latin · derived fromstāns, stāntis“standing; remaining, staying”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*stānticāre
4. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*steh₂g-“to drip; to seep”
5. Latin · derived fromstāgnum“piece of standing water, pond; fen, swamp”
6. Vulgar Latin · derived from*stagnicāre
7. Old French · derived fromestanche“firm; watertight”
8. Anglo-Norman · derived fromestaunche
9. Middle English · inherited fromstaunch
10. English todaystaunch

From Middle English staunch, staunche (“(adjective) in good condition or repair; solidly made, firm; watertight; of a person or wound: not bleeding; certain; intact; (adverb) firmly, soundly”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman estaunche, Old French estanche (“firm; watertight”) (modern French étanche (“airtight; watertight”)), a variant of estanc (“a pond”), from estanchier (“to stop the flow of a liquid (blood, water, etc.); to make (something) watertight; to quench (thirst)”) (modern French étancher), possibly from one of the following: * From Vulgar Latin *stagnicāre, from Latin stāgnum (“piece of standing water, pond; fen, swamp”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂g- (“to drip; to seep”). * From Vulgar Latin *stānticāre, from *stānticus (“tired”), from Latin stāns, stāntis (“standing; remaining, staying”). Stāns is the present active participle of stō (“to stand; to remain, stay”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”). Cognates * Italian stanco (“bored; tired”) * Portuguese estanque (“watertight”) * Romansh staunza (“a room”) * Spanish estanco (“closed, sealed; airtight; watertight”)

staunch · verb²

1. Old French · derived fromestancher
2. Anglo-Norman · derived fromestauncher
3. Middle English · inherited fromstaunchen
4. English todaystaunch

From Middle English staunchen, staunche (“to stop the flow of blood, diarrhoea, or other bodily fluids; to alleviate, ease; to appease, assuage, satisfy; to cure; to overcome; to put an end to; to repress, suppress; of a river or stream: to stop flowing; of waters, wind, or weather: to become calm, subside; to extinguish or put out (a fire)”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman estauncher, estaunchier, estanger, Old French estancher, estanchier (verb) [and other forms]; see further at etymology 1 and at stanch.

staunch · noun³

1. Old French · derived fromestanche“pond; tank”
2. Middle English · inherited fromstaunche
3. English todaystaunch

Either: * from Middle English staunche, stanche (“something which stops the flow of blood; (figuratively) shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)”), from Old French estanche (“pond; tank”), from estanc (“pond”) (modern French étang (“pond; lagoon”)), from estanchier (verb): see further at etymology 2; and/or * derived directly from the verb.

staunch · noun⁴

See stanch (etymology 4).

Words from the same roots