stay

stay · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)teg-“rod, pole, stick”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*stakô“stake, bar, stick, pole”
3. Frankish · derived from*stakā
4. Old French · derived fromestaye
5. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*stéh₂tis“standing”
6. Proto-Germanic · derived from*stadiz“a standing, place”
7. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*stadi“a site, place, location, standing”
8. Middle Dutch · derived fromstaeye“a prop, stay”
9. Old French · derived fromestayer
10. Middle English · inherited fromsteyen
11. English todaystay

From Middle English steyen, staien, from Old French estayer, estaier (“to fix, prop up, support, stay”), from estaye, estaie (“a prop, stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade (“a prop, stay, help, aid”) (compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Proto-West Germanic *stadi (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing”). Influenced by Old English stæġ ("a stay, rope"; see below). Cognate with Old English stede (“a place, spot, locality, fixed position, station, site, standing, status, position of a moving body, stopping, standing still, stability, fixity, firmness, steadfastness”), Swedish stödja (“to prop, support, brace, hold up, bolster”), Icelandic stöðug (“continuous, stable”). More at stead, steady. Sense of "remain, continue" may be due to later influence from Old French ester, esteir (“to stand, be, continue, remain”), from Latin stāre (“stand”), from the same Proto-Indo-European root above; however, derivation from this root is untenable based on linguistic and historical grounds. An alternative etymology derives Old French estaye, estaie, from Frankish *stakā, *stakō (“stake, post”), from Proto-Germanic *stakô (“stake, bar, stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- (“rod, pole, stick”), making it cognate with Old English staca (“pin, stake”), Old English stician (“to stick, be placed, lie, remain fixed”). Cognate with Albanian shtagë (“a long stick, a pole”). More at stake, stick.

stay · noun, particle²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*steh₂-“to stand”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*stadiz“a standing, place”
3. Old Dutch · derived from*stad“a site, place, location, standing”
4. Middle Dutch · derived fromstaeye“a prop, stay”
5. Old French · derived fromestaye
6. Middle English · inherited fromstay
7. English todaystay

From Middle English stay, from Old French estaye, estaie (“a prop, a stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade ("a prop, stay, help, aid"; compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Old Dutch *stad (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”). See above.

stay · noun, verb³

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*steh₂-“to stand”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*stek-
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*stagą“stay, rope”
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*stag
5. Old English · inherited fromstæġ“stay, a rope supporting a mast”
6. Middle English · inherited fromstay
7. English todaystay

From Middle English stay, from Old English stæġ (“stay, a rope supporting a mast”), from Proto-West Germanic *stag, from Proto-Germanic *stagą (“stay, rope”), from Proto-Indo-European *stek-, *stāk- (“stand, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”). Cognate with Dutch stag (“stay”), German Stag (“stay”), Swedish stag (“stay”), Icelandic stag (“stay”).

stay · adjective, adverb⁴

1. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*staigil“steep”
2. Old English · inherited from*stǣġe
3. Middle English · inherited from*steȝe
4. English todaystay

From Middle English *steȝe, from Old English *stǣġe, an apocopated variant of stǣġel (“steep, abrupt”), from Proto-West Germanic *staigil (“steep”), see sty.

Words from the same roots