Meanings
stern1
comparative sterner · superlative sternest · alternative obsolete sterne
- Having a hardness and severity of nature or manner.
stern sex
3 more examples
I haue beene wooed, as I intreat thee now, / Euen by the ſterne, and direfull God of warre, / VVhoſe ſinowie necke in battel nere did bow, / VVho conquers where he comes in euery iarre; […]
1594, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, [verse 17], lines [97–100]stern as tutors, and as uncles hard
1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The First Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLCRisk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer (yesterday, of course, it cured it) to stern government warnings about alcohol and driving, the world is teeming with goblins.
2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76 - Grim and forbidding in appearance.
The remark earned me a stern rebuke.
1 more example
these barren rocks, your stern inheritance
1814, William Wordsworth, The ExcursionSynonyms: bleak, sombre, cheerless, comfortless, bleak, dark, morose, depressing
stern2
plural sterns · alternative obsolete sterne
- nauticalThe rear part (after end) of a ship or other vessel.
Holonyms: watercraft < vessel
1 more example
Old Applegate, in the stern, just set and looked at me, and Lord James, amidship, waved both arms and kept hollering for help. I took a couple of everlasting big strokes and managed to grab hold of the skiff's rail, close to the stern.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLCSynonyms: aft, poop · Antonyms: bow, stem, forestem, fore, prow, prore
- figurativelyThe post of management or direction.
and sit chiefest stern of public weal
1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i] - The hinder part of anything.
- The tail of an animal; now used only of the tail of a dog.
And all attonce her beaſtly bodie raizd / With doubled forces high aboue the ground: / Tho wrapping vp her wrethed ſterne arownd, / Lept fierce vpon his ſhield, [...]
1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 18, page 8
present singular third person sterns · participle present sterning · participle past sterned · past sterned · alternative obsolete sterne
stern3
plural sterns · alternative obsolete sterne
- A bird, the black tern, seabird.
Stern4
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveGrim and forbidding in appearance.
nounThe rear part (after end) of a ship or other vessel.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveof a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
adjectivenot to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
nounthe fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
stern · adjective
- Proto-Indo-European*ster-“rigid, stiff”
- Proto-Germanic*sturnijaz“angry, astonished, shocked”
- Old Englishstyrne“stern, grave, strict, austere, hard, severe, cruel”
- Middle Englishstern
- Englishstern
From Middle English stern, sterne, sturne, from Old English styrne (“stern, grave, strict, austere, hard, severe, cruel”), from Proto-Germanic *sturnijaz (“angry, astonished, shocked”), from Proto-Indo-European *ster- (“rigid, stiff”). Cognate with Scots stern (“bold, courageous, fierce, resolute”), Old High German stornēn (“to be astonished”), Dutch stuurs (“glum, austere”), Swedish stursk (“insolent”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →stern · noun, verb
- Old Frisianstiarne“rudder”
- Proto-Germanic*stiurijaną
- Old Norsestjórn“control, steering”
- Middle Englishsterne
- Englishstern
Inherited from Middle English sterne, likely from Old Norse stjórn (“control, steering”), related to stýra (“to steer”), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijaną, whence also English steer. Also possibly from Old Frisian stiarne (“rudder”), from the same Germanic root. The sense referring to a management post alludes to the fact that a sailing ship's captain would often stand on an aft deck.
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Stern · proper noun
* As a German and Jewish surname, from the noun Stern (“star”). This was also borrowed into various Slavic languages such as Serbo-Crotian and Slovenian. * As an English surname, from the adjective stern.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πρύμνα
- πρύμνα (prúmna)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Arabic صَارِم, مُتَشَدِّد
- صَارِم (ṣārim)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- مُتَشَدِّد (mutašaddid)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- مُؤَخَّرَة (muʔaḵḵara)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Basque txopa
- txopathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Bulgarian суро́в, строг
- суро́в (suróv)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- строг (strog)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- твърд (tvărd)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- неприве́тлив (neprivétliv)grim and forbidding in appearance
- недружелю́бен (nedruželjúben)grim and forbidding in appearance
- негостоприе́мен (negostopriémen)grim and forbidding in appearance
- мра́чен (mráčen)grim and forbidding in appearance
- кърма́ (kărmá)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Catalan sever, popa
- severhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- popathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Chinese Mandarin 船尾, 舳
- 船尾 (chuánwěi)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- 舳 (zhú)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Czech přísný, tvrdý
- přísnýhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- tvrdýhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- strohýhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- příkrýhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- drsnýgrim and forbidding in appearance
- záďthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Danish agterstavn, agterstævn
- agterstavnthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- agterstævnthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- agterendethe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Dutch streng, achtersteven
- strenghaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- achtersteventhe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- achterschipthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Esperanto severa, serioza
- severahaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- seriozahaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- poŭpothe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- pobothe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Estonian ahter
- ahterthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Finnish ankara, kovaluontoinen
- ankarahaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- kovaluontoinenhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- tylyhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- kovahaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- ankaragrim and forbidding in appearance
- tuimagrim and forbidding in appearance
- peräthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- ahterithe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- peräsinfiguratively: post of management or direction
- perähinder part of anything
- häntätail of an animal
French sévère, austère
- sévèrehaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- austèregrim and forbidding in appearance
- poupethe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- arrièrethe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
German streng, hart
- strenghaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- harthaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- bitterhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- unnachgiebighaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- ernsthaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- unnachsichtighaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- gestrenghaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- düstergrim and forbidding in appearance
- unfreundlichgrim and forbidding in appearance
- abweisendgrim and forbidding in appearance
- abschreckendgrim and forbidding in appearance
- Heckthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- Schiffshinterteilthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- Hinterschiffthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Greek αυστηρός, βλοσυρός
- αυστηρός (afstirós)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- βλοσυρός (vlosyrós)grim and forbidding in appearance
- πρύμνη (prýmni)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Hindi दुंबाल, दबूसा
- दुंबाल (dumbāl)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- दबूसा (dabūsā)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- पिच्छल (picchal)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- पिछाड़ी (pichāṛī)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Hungarian szigorú, rideg
- szigorúhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- rideghaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- zordgrim and forbidding in appearance
- tatthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- hajótatthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Icelandic skutur
- skuturthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Irish deireadh
- deireadhthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Italian austero, severo
- austerohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- severohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- durohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- rigidohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- arcignogrim and forbidding in appearance
- inflessibilegrim and forbidding in appearance
- poppathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Japanese 厳格な, 荘厳な
- 厳格な (genkaku na)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- 荘厳な (sōgon na)grim and forbidding in appearance
- 船尾 (senbi)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- 艫 (tomo)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Korean 선미, 고물
- 선미 (seonmi)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- 고물 (gomul)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Latin tētricus, firmātus
- tētricushaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- firmātushaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- puppisthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Latvian pakaļgals
- pakaļgalsthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Lithuanian laivagalis
- laivagalisthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Malay buritan
- buritanthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Māori makiki, taikaha
- makikihaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- taikahahaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- taikahagrim and forbidding in appearance
- keithe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- tāthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- nokothe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Norwegian Bokmål akterstavn, hekk
- akterstavnthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- hekkthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- akterspeilthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- akterendethe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Persian پاشْنِه
- پاشْنِه (pâšne)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Polish surowy, rufa
- surowyhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- rufathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Portuguese severo, austero
- severohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- austerohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- rígidohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- sériohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- popathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Romanian dur, sever
- durhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- severhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
Russian стро́гий, суро́вый
- стро́гий (strógij)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- суро́вый (suróvyj)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- мра́чный (mráčnyj)grim and forbidding in appearance
- корма́ (kormá)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Scottish Gaelic gruamach
- gruamachgrim and forbidding in appearance
Slovak neúprosný, tvrdý
- neúprosnýhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- tvrdýhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- prísnyhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- neprívetivýgrim and forbidding in appearance
- kormathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Spanish adusto, adusto
- adustohaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- adustogrim and forbidding in appearance
- popathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Swahili shetri, tezi
- shetrithe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- tezithe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Swedish sträng, rigorös
- stränghaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- rigoröshaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- strikthaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- barskhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- hårdhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- hårdgrim and forbidding in appearance
- akterthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- bakstam c poopthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Tagalog popa
- popathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Thai ท้ายเรือ
- ท้ายเรือ (táai-rʉʉa)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Turkish sert, haşin
- serthaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- haşinhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- katıhaving a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- kıçthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
- pupathe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Ukrainian суво́рий, стро́гий
- суво́рий (suvóryj)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- стро́гий (stróhyj)having a hardness and severity of nature or manner
- корма́ (kormá)the rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Welsh starn
- starnthe rear part or after end of a ship or vessel
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with stern
Anagrams
Cite this entry
stern. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stern
“stern.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stern. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stern,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stern.
Source: stern on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.