stee

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*stigiz“an ascent, climb”
2. Old Norse · derived fromstegi
3. Middle English · inherited fromstee
4. English todaystee

From Middle English stee, ste, sty, stie, sti, stegh, stiȝe (“ladder”), from Old Norse stegi, stigi (“ladder, step, steep ascent”), from Proto-Germanic *stigiz (“an ascent, climb”). Cognate with Old English stiġe (“ascent or descent”), German Stiege (“staircase”). See stair, sty, stile.