stean

S1T1E1A1N1
/stiːn/

noun

A vessel made of clay or stone; a pot of stone or earth.

“to stean a well”

OriginMiddle English stene ← Old English stǣna ← Proto-West Germanic *stainijā →
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Meanings

stean1

nounstean (plural steans)

plural steans

  1. A vessel made of clay or stone; a pot of stone or earth.

stean2

verbstean (third-person singular simple present steans, present participle steaning, simple past and past participle steaned)

present singular third person steans · participle present steaning · participle past steaned · past steaned · alternative steen · alternative steyn

  1. To pelt with stones; throw stones at; stone.
  2. To fit with stones; mend, line, pave, etc. with stones.

    to stean a well

nounstean (plural steans)

plural steans · alternative steen · alternative steyn

  1. A wall of brick, stone, or cement, used as a lining, as of a well, cistern, etc.; a steening.

stean3

nounstean (plural steans)

plural steans

  1. UKdialectalA stone.
  2. UKdialectalA large box of stones used for pressing cheese; a cheese-press.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
incastellatestone

Origin

stean · noun

  1. Proto-Germanic*stainijǭ“stonen vessel, crucible”
  2. Proto-West Germanic*stainijā
  3. Old Englishstǣne“pitcher, jug”
  4. Old Englishstǣna“stone jug, a stean, a pot of stone or earth”
  5. Middle Englishstene“waterpot”
  6. Englishstean

From Middle English stene (“waterpot”), from Old English stǣna (“stone jug, a stean, a pot of stone or earth”) and Old English stǣne (“pitcher, jug”), from Proto-West Germanic *stainijā, from Proto-Germanic *stainijǭ (“stonen vessel, crucible”). Cognate with Old High German steinna (“pot, saucepan”). Doublet of stein.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

stean · verb, noun

  1. Proto-Germanic*stainijaną“to adorn with stones”
  2. Proto-West Germanic*stainijan
  3. Old Englishstǣnan“to stone, cast stones at; adorn with precious stones”
  4. Middle Englishstenen
  5. Englishstean

From Middle English stenen, from Old English stǣnan (“to stone, cast stones at; adorn with precious stones”), from Proto-West Germanic *stainijan, from Proto-Germanic *stainijaną (“to adorn with stones”), *stainōną (“to throw stones at”). Cognate with Old High German steinen (“to adorn with stones”), Old High German steinōn (“to throw stones”), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 (stainjan, “to throw stones at”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

stean · noun

  1. Northern Middle Englishstan
  2. Englishstean

Inherited from Northern Middle English stan, stane (“stone”); thus a dialectal form of stone.

More words from Northern Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with stean

beenbetweengreenmagazinemeanseenscreenmachinecleangenescenedeanjeanroutineHalloweenbeancuisinevaccineEugeneChristineleanfifteengasolinekeen
All rhymes →

Anagrams

antesSantenatesstaneAsten
Cite this entry
APA

stean. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stean

MLA

“stean.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stean. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stean,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stean.

Source: stean on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.