stew

stew · noun¹

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromτῦφος“smoke, steam”
2. Vulgar Latin · derived from*extufāre
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromstupha
4. Old French · derived fromestuve“bath, bathhouse”
5. Anglo-Norman · derived fromestouve
6. Middle English · inherited fromstewe
7. English todaystew

From Middle English stewe, stue, from Anglo-Norman estouve, Old French estuve (“bath, bathhouse”) (modern French étuve), from Medieval Latin stupha, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Vulgar Latin *extufāre, from ex- + Ancient Greek τῦφος (tûphos, “smoke, steam”), from τύφω (túphō, “to smoke”). See also Italian stufare, Portuguese estufar. Compare also Old English stuf-bæþ (“a hot-air bath, vapour bath”); see stove.

stew · verb²

1. Middle English · inherited fromstiven
2. Middle English · inherited fromstewen
3. English todaystew

From Middle English stewen, stuwen, from the noun above; and also from Middle English stiven, styven (“to bathe, cook, stew”).

stew · noun³

Probably related to Middle Dutch stuven (“be dusty”) and English stive. Perhaps the same word as stew (“steam-room; dish cooked by stewing”) above.

stew · noun⁴

Clipping of steward or stewardess.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 14th–17th c. A cooking-dish used for boiling; a cauldron.
• from 14th c. A heated bath-room or steam-room; also, a hot bath.
• from 14th c. A brothel.
• from 18th c. A dish cooked by stewing.