stye

The story

1. Middle English · derived fromeie“eye”
2. Old English · derived fromstīgend“a small tumour on the edge of the eyelid, stye”
3. Middle English · derived fromstyanye
4. English todaystye

First recorded in the 17th century; probably a back-formation from Middle English styanye (first recorded in the 15th century), which in turn comes from Old English stīgend (“a small tumour on the edge of the eyelid, stye”), from the verb stīgan (“to climb, ascend, rise”) + Middle English eie (“eye”). Equivalent to sty + eye.

Words from the same roots