steeplechase (n.) — steward (v.)
"horse race across open country, over ditches, hedges, and other obstacles, by whatever way the rider chooses," 1793 (earlier steeplehunt, 1772), from steeple + chase (n.). In earliest uses said to be so called for having a distant, visible church steeple or other landmark as a goal. To hunt the steeple in this sense is by 1785.ETD steeplechase (n.).2
also steeple-jack, "one who climbs steeples, chimneys, etc. to make repairs," 1881, from steeple + jack (n.) "fellow, man."ETD steeplejack (n.).2
"young male ox," Old English steor "bullock," from Proto-Germanic *steuraz (source also of Old Saxon stior, Old Norse stjorr, Swedish tjur, Danish tyr, Middle Dutch, Dutch stier, German Stier, Gothic stiur "bull"), which is perhaps from PIE *steu-ro-, denoting "larger domestic animal" (see Taurus). In U.S. of male beef cattle of any age.ETD steer (n.).2
early 13c., steringe, "guiding and direction of a ship by means of a rudder," verbal noun from steer (v.). By late 14c. in a general sense of "directing." Steering-wheel attested from 1750 in reference to a ship, by 1902 of a motor car. The legislative steering committee in U.S. politics, "small body engaged in directing bill to passage," is recorded by 1887.ETD steering (n.).2
"guide the course of a vehicle," originally a ship or boat, by means of a rudder or helm, Middle English stēren, from Old English steoran, steran (Mercian), stieran, styran (West Saxon) "to steer, guide, direct; govern, rule; restrain, correct, punish," from Proto-Germanic *steurjanan (source also of Old Norse styra, Old Frisian stiora, Dutch sturen, Old High German stiuren, German steuern "to steer," Gothic stiurjan "to establish, assert," Old Frisian stera "consolidate, confirm, help," stor "big, important").ETD steer (v.).2
This is related to *steuro "a rudder, a steering," and considered to be from an extended form of PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm" (compare Greek stauros "stake, pole"). The notion would be of a stiff, upright pillar or post used in steering, or else perhaps "establish," hence "direct, steer."ETD steer (v.).3
The intransitive sense "guide a vessel by a rudder" also was in Old English. Also in Old English in a general sense of "guide something that is in motion;" in figurative uses by late Old English: "control" one's emotions or impulses, "guide one's soul" to or from faith. The sense of "manage, administer" is by c. 1300. To steer clear of in the figurative sense of "avoid completely" is recorded from 1723. Related: Steered; steering.ETD steer (v.).4
"capable of being steered," 1802, from steer (v.) + -able.ETD steerable (adj.).2
c. 1400, stērage, "steering apparatus of a ship;" mid-15c., "act, practice, or method of steering," from steer (v.) + -age.ETD steerage (n.).2
The meaning "part of a ship in front of the chief cabin," in the rear of the ship, where the steering apparatus was, is from 1610s. It retained the name after the introduction of the deck wheel in early 18c. moved it above, and was the habitation of inferior officers on merchant ships; hence the meaning "section of a ship with the cheapest accommodations," attested by 1804; steerage later generally was in the lower part of the bow.ETD steerage (n.).3
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cover," especially with a roof. It forms all or part of: deck (n.) "covering over part of a ship;" deck (v.) "adorn;" deckle; detect; integument; protect; protection; stegosaurus; tegular; tegument; thatch; thug; tile; Tuileries.ETD *(s)teg-.2
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit sthag- "cover, conceal, hide;" Greek stegein "to cover," stegos "a roof;" Latin tegere "to cover," tegula "tile;" Lithuanian stėgti "to roof;" Old Norse þekja, Old English þeccan "thatch;" Dutch dekken, German decken "to cover, put under roof;" Irish tuigiur "cover," tech "house;" Welsh toi "thatch, roof," ty "house."ETD *(s)teg-.3
"cryptography, art of writing in secret characters," 1560s, from Medieval Latin steganographia "art of secret writing" (c. 1500), from Greek steganos "covered," from stegein "to cover" (from PIE root *(s)teg- "to cover") + -graphia "description" (see -graphy).ETD steganography (n.).2
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to stick, prick, sting." It forms all or part of: stag; sting; stochastic.ETD *stegh-.2
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek stokhos "fixed target, erected pillar for archers to shoot at;" Lithuanian stagaras "long, thin stalk of a plant;" Old English stagga "stag," stingan "to sting;" Old Danish stag "point;" Old Norse stong "stick, pole."ETD *stegh-.3
type of plant-eating dinosaur, 1892, from Modern Latin order name Stegosauria (O.C. Marsh, 1877), with -saurus + Greek stegos "a roof," related to stege "covering," stegein "to cover" (from PIE root *(s)teg- "to cover"). The back-armor plates in the fossilized remains looked like roof tiles.ETD stegosaurus (n.).2
earthenware mug, especially one for beer, 1855, from German Stein, shortened form of Steinkrug "stone jug," from Stein "stone" (see stone (n.)) + Krug "jug, jar." Compare Old English stæne "pitcher, jug."ETD stein (n.).2
Alpine wild goat, German; see steenbok.ETD steinbock (n.).2
make of pianos, from Henry Englehard Steinway (1797-1871), celebrated German piano-builder who founded the firm in New York in 1853.ETD Steinway (n.).2
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place.ETD *stel-.2
It forms all or part of: apostle; catastaltic; diastole; epistle; forestall; Gestalt; install; installment; pedestal; peristalsis; peristaltic; stale (adj.); stalk (n.); stall (n.1) "place in a stable for animals;" stall (n.2) "pretense to avoid doing something;" stall (v.1) "come to a stop, become stuck;" stallage; stallion; stele; stell; still (adj.); stilt; stole (n.); stolid; stolon; stout; stultify; systaltic; systole.ETD *stel-.3
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek stellein "to put in order, make ready; equip or dress with weapons, clothes, etc.; prepare (for a journey), dispatch; to furl (sails);" Armenian stełc-anem "to prepare, create;" Albanian shtiell "to wind up, reel up, collect;" Old Church Slavonic po-steljo "I spread;" Old Prussian stallit "to stand;" Old English steall "standing place, stable," Old High German stellen "to set, place."ETD *stel-.4
"ancient upright slab," usually inscribed or elaborately sculptured, 1820, from Greek stēlē "standing block, slab," especially one bearing an inscription, such as a gravestone or milestone. This probably is from PIE *stal-na-, suffixed form of root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place. Related: Stelar. The Greek word meant especially a column for fixing and publishing a peace treaty, hence the word also meant "law, treaty;" but compare stēlitēs "one whose name is written on a column" in denunciation, also as an adjective, "publicly dishonored."ETD stele (n.).2
"to fix in position" (obsolete or dialectal), Middle English stellen "establish, institute" (a rule or law), from Old English stellan "to place, put, set," from Proto-Germanic *staljanan (source also of German stellen), from *stalli-, from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place. Not much in use after c. 1400, but various nouns from it, with notions of "enclosure, barrier," survived long in English dialects and Scottish.ETD stell (v.).2
fem. proper name, from Latin stella "star" (see star (n.)).ETD Stella.2
"star-shaped," 1650s, from Latin stella "star" (see star (n.)) + -aceous.ETD stellaceous (adj.).2
1650s, "of or pertaining to stars;" 1660s as "star-shaped, star-like;" from Late Latin stellaris "pertaining to a star, starry," from stella "star," from PIE *sterla-, suffixed form of root *ster- (2) "star." The meaning "outstanding, leading" (1883) is from the theatrical sense of star.ETD stellar (adj.).2
c. 1500, "starry, star-spangled," from Latin stellatus "covered with stars," past participle of stellare "to set with stars," from stella "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star"). The meaning "star-shaped, arranged in the form of a conventional star" is recorded from 1660s.ETD stellate (adj.).2
"abounding in stars," 1580s, with -ous + Latin stellifer "starry," from stella "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star") + ferre "to carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry").ETD stelliferous (adj.).2
"having the form of a small star," 1796, with -ar + Late Latin stellula "little star," diminutive of Latin stella "star" (see star (n.)). Also see -ule.ETD stellular (adj.).2
[main body of a tree] Middle English stemme, from Old English stemn, stefn "trunk of a tree or shrub," the part which rises from the ground and supports the branches; also "either end-post of a ship;" from Proto-Germanic *stamniz (source also of Old Saxon stamm, Old Norse stafn "stem of a ship;" Danish stamme, Swedish stam "trunk of a tree;" Old High German stam, German Stamm). This is thought to be from a suffixed form of the PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm."ETD stem (n.).2
Especially of the post at the bow of a ship, hence the word came to mean "front of a ship" generally by 1550s. That sense is preserved in the phrase stem to stern, which is originally nautical, "along the full length" (of a ship), and is attested from 1620s.ETD stem (n.).3
By 1590s as "stalk which supports the flower of a plant;" the meaning "support of a wineglass" is by 1835. Extended to other things resembling the stem of a plant; in type-founding, "thick stroke of a letter" (1670s); stems as slang for "legs" is by 1860.ETD stem (n.).4
The sense of "stock of a family, ancestry" is attested by 1530s; the sense also is in Middle High German stam, Dutch stam; Old High German stam is only in the literal sense, but it meant "race" in compound liut-stam; for which also compare Old English leodstefn "race."ETD stem (n.).5
In modern linguistics, the sense of "part of a word that remains unchanged through inflection" is from 1830. In biology, stem cell is attested by 1885.ETD stem (n.).6
[make headway against] late 14c., intransitive, "make headway by sailing, head in a certain course," literally "push the stem through," from stem (n.) in the nautical sense of "thick upright beam at the prow of a ship." The transitive sense of "make headway against" is by 1590s; figurative use of this by 1670s. Related: Stemmed; stemming. For stem the tide, see stem (v.1).ETD stem (v.2).2
in verbal phrase stems from "arises from, has origins in," is by 1932, American English, perhaps from now-obsolete stem (v.) "rise, mount up" (hence "have origin in"), attested from 1570s, from stem (n.). Or it might be influenced by or a translation of German stammen aus "come from," also probably a figurative sense. Compare stem (n.) in the sense of "stock of a family, line of descent." The verb stem meaning "remove the stem of" is by 1873.ETD stem (v.3).2
[hold back the flow of], early 14c., stemmen, "stop, halt, tarry" (intransitive, now obsolete); mid-14c. "stop the flow of, check, dam up" (liquid, speech, etc.); from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse stemma "to stop, dam up; be stopped, abate," from Proto-Germanic *stamjan (source also of Swedish stämma, Old Saxon stemmian, Middle Dutch stemon, German stemmen "stop, resist, oppose").ETD stem (v.1).2
This is considered to be from PIE root *stem- "to strike against something" (source also of Lithuanian stumiu, stumti "thrust, push") and is not considered to be connected to stem (n.). Related: Stemmed; stemming. Also in Middle English as a noun, stemme, "a hindrance."ETD stem (v.1).3
Phrase stem the tide was originally "hold back the tide" and belongs to this verb but often is confused with stem (v.2) "make headway against."ETD stem (v.1).4
"excellent thing" (especially a rousing speech), 1892, literally "pocket-watch with a stem-winding mechanism," as opposed to a key (1865). See stem (n.) + wind (v.1). Stem-winding watches began to be patented by 1865 and were heavily advertised from 1870 in newspapers as more advanced and desirable.ETD stem-winder (n.).2
type of light, rapid-fire submachine gun, 1942, from initials of surnames of designers R.V. Shepherd and H.J. Turpin + En(field); compare Bren.ETD Sten (n.).2
Middle English stench, from Old English stenc, stync "a smell, odor, scent, fragrance" (pleasant or unpleasant), from Proto-Germanic *stankwiz (source also of Old Saxon stanc, Old High German stanch, German stank).ETD stench (n.).2
Related to stink (v.) as drench is to drink, as clench is to cling.ETD stench (n.).3
The sense in Old English tended toward "bad smell" (especially of body odor or the stink of decay, also of Hell), and this predominated from c. 1200. The verb in Old English, stencan, meant only "emit an evil smell." Related: Stenchy; stenchful.ETD stench (n.).4
"to produce a design with a stencil; mark by means of a stencil," 1861, from stencil (n.). Related: Stenciled; stenciling (1781 as a verbal noun). Middle English had the adjective stenciled "ornamented with bright colors or stones" (15c.).ETD stencil (v.).2
"thin plate or sheet into which a figure or pattern has been formed by cutting through," 1707 (in reference to the manufacture of playing cards), but not met again until 1848. The old theory is that it is probably from Middle English stencellen "decorate with bright colors," from French estenceler "cover with sparkles or stars, powder with color," from estencele "spark, spangle" (Modern French étincelle), from Vulgar Latin *stincilla, a metathesis of Latin scintilla "spark" (for which see scintilla).ETD stencil (n.).2
before vowels sten-, word-forming element used in the sciences from mid-19c. to mean "narrow" (as in stenosis), from Greek stenos "narrow, close, small, tight, slim;" as a noun "straits of the sea, narrow strip of land," also metaphorically, "close, confined; scanty, petty," perhaps from a PIE *sten- "narrow," but Beekes's sources finds no cognates outside Greek ("nicht sicher erklärt" ... "L'étymologie de ce groupe de mots reste obscure").ETD steno-.2
As a stand-alone word, steno, it is attested by 1928 as a shortening of stenographer, and in many modern compounds steno- is directly from the particular use of stenos in stenography.ETD steno-.3
"short-hand writer," 1796, probably a back-formed agent noun from stenography (q.v.). Stenographist "one who writes shorthand" is by 1839.ETD stenographer (n.).2
"the art of writing in shorthand; writing by means of brief signs to represent sounds, words, phrases," c. 1600, from steno- "narrow" + -graphy. Related: Stenographic (1680s); stenographical (1650s). Stenograph (n.) is attested by 1856 as "a stenographic report," by 1891 as "stenograph machine."ETD stenography (n.).2
in anatomy, "pathological narrowing of a passage," 1846, medical Latin, from Greek stenosis "a narrowing," from stenoun "to narrow," from stenos "narrow" (see steno-) + -osis. Related: Stenotic.ETD stenosis (n.).2
in anatomy, "tube implanted temporarily," 1964, from Greek stenos "narrow" (see steno-).ETD stent (n.).2
"of powerful voice; extremely loud," c. 1600, from Stentor, the name of the legendary Greek herald in the Trojan War, whose voice (described in the "Iliad") was as loud as 50 men. His name is from Greek stenein "groan, moan," from PIE imitative root *(s)ten-, source of Old English þunor "thunder." Stentorious was used in 16c.ETD stentorian (adj.).2
"a completed movement of the foot in walking," Old English steppa (Mercian), stæpe, stepe (West Saxon) "an act of stepping; a footprint," also "a stair, rung of a ladder," and by late Old English "manner of walking," from the source of step (v.). Compare Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, Dutch stap, Old High German stapfo, German Stapfe "footstep").ETD step (n.).2
Also "distance traversed by a step" (mid-13c.), which led to the use of step as a unit of linear measure (late 13c.) equivalent to about 2.5 feet or a half-pace. In dancing, from 1670s. The specific meaning "type of military pace" is from 1798.ETD step (n.).3
It is attested from late Old English as "degree on a scale, degree in progress or advance," in virtue, sin, etc. The notion is perhaps of a step as a support for the foot in ascending or descending. The figurative meaning "action which leads toward a result, a proceeding in a series of them" is recorded from 1540s.ETD step (n.).4
The warning phrase watch your step is attested from 1911; Wycliffe (late 14c.) has keep thy foot in essentially the same sense. Step by step indicating steady progression is from 1580s. To follow in (someone's) steps "follow the example of" is from mid-13c.ETD step (n.).5
early 14c., "action of striding or walking," verbal noun from step (v.). Stepping stone also is early 14c., originally as "a foot-stool," later "raised stone in a stream or wet place to preserve the shoes in crossing;" in the figurative sense by 1650s. Later it also could mean a horse-block or upping-stone (1837).ETD stepping (n.).2
Middle English steppen, from Old English steppan (Anglian), stæppan (West Saxon) "take a step, move the legs and feet as in walking," from West Germanic *stapjanan "tread" (source also of Old Frisian stapa, Middle Dutch, Dutch stappen, Old High German stapfon, German stapfen "step").ETD step (v.).2
This is said to be from a PIE root *stebh- "post, stem; to support, place firmly on," for which see staff (n.); if so, from the same root are Old Church Slavonic stopa "step, pace," stepeni "step, degree." The notion might be "a treading firmly on; a foothold." But Boutkan deconstructs the relevant Pokorny entry, finds the group only in Germanic, and gives no IE etymology.ETD step (v.).3
In general use, "to go a short distance." The transitive sense "to set or plant as in stepping" (as in step foot in, a form Century Dictionary labels "familiar") is attested from 1530s. Originally strong (past tense stop, past participle bestapen); weak forms stepped, stepping emerged 13c. and were exclusive from 16c.ETD step (v.).4
To step out "leave for a short time" is from 1530s; the meaning "go out in public in style" is from 1907. Transitive step off "measure (a distance) by stepping" is by 1863. Step on it "hurry up" is 1923, it being the gas pedal of an automobile.ETD step (v.).5
word-forming element indicating the person is so connected only by marriage of a parent; Middle English step-, from Old English steop-, used in such combinations as steopcild "orphan." The element is also found as the stem in the verbs astiepan, bestiepan "bereave, deprive of parents or children." The original connotation is presumed to be "loss."ETD step-.2
It would be from Proto-Germanic *steupa- "bereft" (source also of Old Frisian stiap-, Old Norse stjup-, Swedish styv-, Middle Low German stef-, Dutch stief-, Old High German stiof-, German stief-), with a presumed sense of "pushed out," from a suffixed form of PIE root *(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock," with derivatives referring to fragments (see steep (adj.)), but Boutkan gives it no IE etymology and writes that Pokorny's reconstruction "can hardly be justified from a semantic point of view."ETD step-.3
The variations in -f- and -p- are difficult to explain; Barnhart suggests the forms in -f- are by assimilation of the first sound in following words for "father."ETD step-.4
Old English also had step-bairn "orphan," stepfather, stepmother, indicating one who becomes a father or mother to an orphan. By late Old English the element was also used in a sense "related by remarriage of a parent." According to OED, the notion of orphanage faded by 20c. and the element came to denote simply relation through marriage. For sense evolution, compare Latin privignus "stepson," related to privus "deprived." Also compare the etymology of orphan (n.).ETD step-.5
also step-brother, "son of one's step-father or step-mother," mid-15c., from step- + brother (n.). Similar formation in German Stiefbruder, Danish stifbroder.ETD stepbrother (n.).2
also step-child, Old English steopcild "an orphan;" see step- + child (n.). The sense of "child from a spouse's previous marriage" is by mid-14c.ETD stepchild (n.).2
Old English also had steopbearn, Middle English step-barn "an orphan" (modern stepbairn for "stepchild" is a re-formation). Similar formation in German Stiefkind.ETD stepchild (n.).3
one in which the steps are more important than the figure, especially one with difficult steps, 1857, from step (n.) in the dancing sense + dance (n.). Related: Step-dancing (1872).ETD step-dance (n.).2
also step-daughter, Middle English step-doughter, "daughter from a spouse's previous marriage," from Old English stepdohtor; see step- + daughter (n.). Similar formation in German Stieftochter, Swedish styfdotter.ETD stepdaughter (n.).2
also step-father, "man who has married one's mother after one's father," Middle English step-fader, from Old English steopfæder; see step- + father. Step-sire, now obsolete, is attested from c. 1300.ETD stepfather (n.).2
fem. proper name, a female form of Stephen. A top-20 name for girls born in U.S. 1969-1996. Sometimes also Stephania. The Greek word stephanē meant "brim of a helmet" (but is not the immediate source of the modern name).ETD Stephanie.2
masc. proper name, from Latin Stephanus, from Greek Stephanos, a particular use of the noun stephanos "crown, wreath, garland, chaplet; crown of victory, wreath awarded as the prize to the victor in a public contest," and by extension "victory, honor, glory." Literally it is "that which surrounds;" the Greek word also was used of the ring of spectators at a fight or the wall around a town. It is from stephein "to encircle, crown, wreathe, tie around" (from PIE root *stebh- "post, stem; place firmly on, fasten;" see step (v.)).ETD Stephen.2
It was exclusively a monk's name in Anglo-Saxon England, it became popular after the Conquest. Saint Stephen, stoned to death, was said to be Christianity's first martyr.ETD Stephen.3
Stephen (and the older pronunciation of nephew, still maintained) were said to be the only cases where English -ph- isn't pronounced as /f/.ETD Stephen.4
type of stereotypical Black roles in Hollywood, or in popular culture generally, from the stage name of popular Black vaudeville actor Lincoln Theodore Perry (1902-1985), who first appeared in films under that name in "In Old Kentucky" (1927). Perry said he took the name from a racehorse on which he'd won some money. It is a play on the phrase step and fetch it, and is said to have been applied to persons before. To step and (do something) is attested by 1704 (Cibber).ETD Stepin Fetchit.2
also stepladder, one with flat steps rather than rungs, 1728, from step (n.) + ladder.ETD step-ladder (n.).2
also step-mother, "woman married to one's father but who is not one's mother," Middle English stepmodor, from Old English steopmodor; see step- + mother (n.1). Another word, now obsolete, was stepdame (late 14c.). They have been associated with parsimony and cruelty at least since Middle English, e.g. stepmother's blessing "a hangnail" (1818).ETD stepmother (n.).2
Related: Stepmotherly.ETD stepmother (n.).3
vast treeless plain of southeastern Europe and Asiatic Russia, 1670s, from German steppe and directly from Russian step', a word of unknown origin. It was introduced in Western Europe by von Humboldt early 19c. and extended generally to extensive treeless plains.ETD steppe (n.).2
"horse with a showy gait," 1835, agent noun from step (v.).ETD stepper (n.).2
also step-sister, "daughter of one's stepmother or stepfather," late 15c., step-sustur, from step- + sister (n.).ETD stepsister (n.).2
also step-son, "son from a spouse's previous marriage," Middle English stepsone, from Late Old English steopsunu; see step- + son.ETD stepson (n.).2
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "stiff."ETD *ster- (1).2
It forms all or part of: cholesterol; redstart; starch; stare; stark; stark-naked; start; startle; starve; stere; stereo-; stern (adj.); stork; strut; torpedo; torpid; torpor.ETD *ster- (1).3
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek stereos "solid," sterizein "to support," sterphnios "stiff, rigid," sterphos "hide, skin;" Sanskrit sthirah "hard, firm," Persian suturg "strong;" Lithuanian storas "thick," strėgti "to become frozen;" Old Church Slavonic trupeti, Lithuanian tirpstu, tirpti "to become rigid;" Old Church Slavonic strublu "strong, hard," staru "old" (hence Russian stary "old"); Old English starian "to stare," stearc "stiff, strong, rigid," steorfan "to die," literally "become stiff," styrne "severe, strict."ETD *ster- (1).4
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "star." Buck and others doubt the old suggestion that it is a borrowing from Akkadian istar "venus." The source of the common Balto-Slavic word for "star" (Lithuanian žvaigždė, Old Church Slavonic zvezda, Polish gwiazda, Russian zvezda) is not explained.ETD *ster- (2).2
It forms all or part of: aster; asterisk; asterism; asteroid; astral; astro-; astrobiology; astrobleme; astrognosy; astroid; astrolabe; astrolatry; astrology; astromancy; astronaut; astronomy; AstroTurf; constellation; disaster; Estella; Esther; instellation; interstellar; lodestar; star; stardust; starfish; starlet; starlight; starry; stellar; stellate.ETD *ster- (2).3
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit star-; Hittite shittar, Greek aster "star," with derivative astron; Latin stella, Breton sterenn, Welsh seren "star."ETD *ster- (2).4
Old English -istre, from Proto-Germanic *-istrijon, feminine agent suffix used as the equivalent of masculine -ere (see -er (1)). Also used in Middle English to form nouns of action (meaning "a person who ...") without regard for gender.ETD -ster.2
The genderless agent noun use apparently was a broader application of the original feminine suffix, beginning in the north of England, but linguists disagree over whether this indicates female domination of weaving and baking trades, as represented in surnames such as Webster, Baxter, Brewster, etc. (though modern spinster probably carries an originally female ending). For Dempster, see deem (v.).ETD -ster.3
Also compare whitester "one who bleaches cloth;" kempster (c. 1400; Halliwell has it as kembster) "woman who cleans wool." Chaucer ("Merchant's Tale") has chidester "an angry woman" (the 17c. had scoldster). A c. 1400 psalter has yongling tabourester "girl drummer" (for Latin puellarum tympanistriarum). Also compare Middle English shepster (late 14c.) "dressmaker, female cutter-out," literally "shapester," sleestere (mid-15c.) "murderess, female killer" ("slay-ster"). Sewster "seamstress" (Middle English seuestre, late 13c. as a surname, also used of men) is still in Jonson but was obsolete or provincial after 17c. In Modern English, the suffix has been productive in forming derivative nouns (gamester (compare gamer), roadster, punster, rodster "angler," etc.). Thackeray (1850) has jocular spokester "female speaker or spokesman."ETD -ster.4
"consisting of or pertaining to feces," 1731, from Latin stercus (genitive stercoris) "excrement of animals, dung," which in older sources is said to be from a metathesized form of an extended form of a PIE *sker- "excrement, dung," which might be from the PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut." But de Vaan finds the proposed Celtic cognates dubious.ETD stercoraceous (adj.).2
With -aceous. Earlier in the same sense was stercorous (1540s); Blount (1656) has stercorarious, stercorean. Darwin (1845) has stercovorous, of insects, "feeding on dung."ETD stercoraceous (adj.).3
unit of the metric system for solid measure, 1798, from French stère "unit of volume equal to one cubic meter," from Greek stereos "solid, stiff, firm" (from PIE root *ster- (1) "stiff"). Equal to about 35 cubic feet. It is little used, cubic meter generally serving instead.ETD stere (n.).2
*sterə-, also *ster-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to spread."ETD *stere-.2
It forms all or part of: consternate; consternation; construct; construction; destroy; destruction; industry; instruct; instruction; instrument; obstruct; obstruction; perestroika; prostrate; sternum; sternocleidomastoid; strain (n.2) "race, stock, line;" stratagem; strategy; strath; strato-; stratocracy; stratography; stratosphere; stratum; stratus; straw; stray; street; strew; stroma; structure; substrate; substratum; substructure.ETD *stere-.3
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit strnoti "strews, throws down;" Avestan star- "to spread out, stretch out;" Greek stronymi "strew," stroma "bedding, mattress," sternon "breast, breastbone;" Latin sternere "to stretch, extend;" Old Church Slavonic stira, streti "spread," strana "area, region, country;" Russian stroji "order;" Gothic straujan, Old High German strouwen, Old English streowian "to sprinkle, strew;" Old English streon "strain," streaw "straw, that which is scattered;" Old High German stirna "forehead," strala "arrow, lightning bolt;" Old Irish fo-sernaim "spread out," srath "a wide river valley;" Welsh srat "plain."ETD *stere-.4
before vowels stere-, word-forming element of Greek origin, used from mid-19c. and meaning "solid, firm; three-dimensional;" also, later, "stereophonic," from Greek stereos "solid" (from PIE root *ster- (1) "stiff").ETD stereo-.2
1823 as a shortening of stereotype (n.) in the printers' sense; 1876 as a shortening of stereoscope; 1954 as a shortening of stereophonic (adj.); the noun meaning "stereophonic record or tape player" is recorded from 1964.ETD stereo.2
"the art of delineating solid bodies on a plane," 1700, cognate with French stéréographie; see stereo- + -graphy.ETD stereography (n.).2
of reproduced sounds, "giving an impression of spatial distribution," 1927, from stereo- + phonic. As a noun to go with it, stereophony "stereophonic sound" is by 1950; stereophonics "stereophonic techniques and sounds" by 1958.ETD stereophonic (adj.).2
"double magic lantern," producing dissolving views between two images or impression of three-dimensionality to pictured objects, 1858, from stereo-, here with a sense of "solid object," probably based on stereoscope, + Latinized form of Greek optikon, neuter of optikos "pertaining to sight" (from PIE root *okw- "to see").ETD stereopticon (n.).2
"optical instrument using two slightly differing pictures to illustrate binocular vision," 1838, coined by inventor Professor Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) from stereo- + -scope. The two pictures appear as a single image with relief and solidity; Wheatstone wrote that he named it for "its property of representing solid figures." Related: Stereoscopy.ETD stereoscope (n.).2
"of, pertaining to, or resembling a stereoscope or its images," 1852, from stereoscope + -ic. Originally especially "having the appearance of solidity." Related: Stereoscopical; stereoscopically.ETD stereoscopic (adj.).2
1798, "method of printing from a plate," from French stéréotype (adj.) "printed by means of a solid plate of type," from Greek stereos "solid" (see stereo-) + French type "type" (see type (n.)).ETD stereotype (n.).2
The meaning was extended to the stereotype plate itself by 1817. The plate saves time and effort as it duplicates, in a single piece of type-metal, the face of a page of types composed by hand for printing.ETD stereotype (n.).3
Hence the figurative meaning "image perpetuated without change" (such as a visual trope or oft-repeated expression; compare cliche), which is recorded by 1850, perhaps via the verb in this sense (which is by 1819).ETD stereotype (n.).4
The specific meaning "preconceived and oversimplified notion of characteristics typical of a person or group" is recorded by 1922 (Walter Lippmann, "Public Opinion").ETD stereotype (n.).5
1949, in the figurative sense, "of, from, or pertaining to preconceived and oversimplified notions of characteristics typical of a person or group;" see stereotype (n.) + -ical. Stereotypic is from 1801 in the literal sense of "of or pertaining to stereotype plates or processes." Related: Stereotypically.ETD stereotypical (adj.).2
1807, "art, act, or process of making stereotype plates or printing in stereotype," verbal noun from stereotype (v.). The figurative sense of "perpetuation of an unchanging form" is by 1888.ETD stereotyping (n.).2
1804, "to cast a stereotype plate," from stereotype (n.). It is attested by 1819 in the figurative sense of "fix firmly or unchangeably," and by 1953 specifically as "assign preconceived and oversimplified notion of characteristics typical of a person or group." Related: Stereotyped; stereotyper; stereotyping; stereotypy.ETD stereotype (v.).2
1690s, in reference to soil, "destroy the fertility of, render unproductive, cause to be unfruitful," from French stériliser or else from sterile + -ize.ETD sterilize (v.).2
In reference to living things by 1828. The bacteriological meaning "render free of living micro-organisms" is by 1878. Related: Sterilized; sterilizing.ETD sterilize (v.).3
early 15c., sterilite, "infertility, barrenness, incapacity to produce children," from Old French sterilite, from Latin sterilitatem (nominative sterilitas) "unfruitfulness, barrenness," from sterilis "barren, unproductive, unfruitful" (see sterile).ETD sterility (n.).2
Of land, the earth, "unproductiveness," early 15c. By 1660s in the figurative sense of "deficiency of ideas or expression."ETD sterility (n.).3
mid-15c., of a tree, "unfruitful, barren," from Old French stérile "not producing fruit" and directly from Latin sterilis "barren, unproductive, unfruitful; unrequited; unprofitable."ETD sterile (adj.).2
This is held to be from PIE *ster- "lacking, sterile," source also of Sanskrit starih "a barren cow," Greek steira "sterile, infertile" (of a cow, goat, woman), Armenian sterj "infertile," and it is perhaps ultimately from the root *ster- (1) "stiff."ETD sterile (adj.).3
It is attested by 1570s in reference to soil, "unproductive of vegetation." In reference to persons (chiefly female), by 1530s. The figurative sense of "leading to no result, profitless" is by 1650s. Of writing, etc., "lacking richness of thought or expression," 1640s.ETD sterile (adj.).4
The bacteriological sense of "sterilized, free from living germs" is recorded by 1877.ETD sterile (adj.).5
"act or process of making unproductive or unfertile," 1826, noun of action from sterilize.ETD sterilization (n.).2
chiefly British English spelling of sterilize; for suffix, see -ize. Related: Sterilisation; sterilised; sterilising.ETD sterilise (v.).2
c. 1300, "English silver penny," struck from the time of Richard I, a word of much-discussed etymology. Perhaps it is from Middle English sterre (see star (n.)), according to OED "presumably" so-called for stars in the design of certain Norman coins, + diminutive suffix -ling. Starred coins were not especially common in Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Norman coinage (one variant of William's pennies had two small ones, and stars were more common on pagan Roman coins).ETD sterling (n.).2
Middle English Compendium mentions Anglo-French esterling, sterling, variants of Old French esterlin, also Medieval Latin sterlingus, "both perh. ult. from OE ...." Another theory [Kluge] is that it derives from Old French estedre "stater" (see stater). The old derivation from Easterling is considered long exploded. The spelling has been somewhat confused with that of the Scottish town of Stirling.ETD sterling (n.).3
The sense broadened by late 14c. to "standard lawful unit of currency;" by 1560s it was used of any money having the quality of sterling, and by c. 1600 to "English money" in general.ETD sterling (n.).4
As an adjective by c. 1400, in reference to money, "of fixed or standard national value," and thus meeting a legally set degree of purity. This was extended by 1640s to principles, qualities, etc., in a general or figurative sense of "capable of standing a test" (as a sound coin would).ETD sterling (n.).5
A pound sterling was originally "a pound weight of sterlings," equal to about 240 of them.ETD sterling (n.).6
Old English stirne, styrne "severe, harsh, grave; strict, cruel; inflexible, rigid" from Proto-Germanic *sternjaz (source also of Middle High German sterre, German starr "stiff," störrig "obstinate;" Gothic andstaurran "to be stiff;" Old Norse stara; Old English starian "to look or gaze upon"), considered to be from PIE root *ster- (1) "stiff."ETD stern (adj.).2
As "rigorous in morals" by late 14c. Of looks, "grim, foreboding," late 14c. Also in Middle English, "bold, valiant, brave; spirited, untamed" and used also of desolate places or potent herbs and medicines. Related: Sternly; sternness.ETD stern (adj.).3
early 13c., "hind part of a ship," where the helm and rudder were, hence also "steering gear of a ship," probably from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse stjorn "a steering," related to or derived from styra "to guide" (see steer (v.)). Or the word may come from Old Frisian stiarne "rudder," which also is related to steer (v.).ETD stern (n.1).2
Colloquially, as "back part of an animal or (vulgarly) a human," by 1570s. Stern-wheel of a ship is by 1816; stern-wheeler as a type of steamboat is by 1855, American English.ETD stern (n.1).3
also starn, "star," late 12c. (Orm), from Old Norse stjarna; see star (n.). The form survived in Northern and Scottish English and is used in Burns and Scott.ETD stern (n.2).2
militant Zionist terrorist organization (officially Lohame Herut Yisra'el "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel") founded 1940 by Avram Stern (1907-1942).ETD Stern gang (n.).2
U.S. proprietary name for solidified alcohol used as fuel for cooking stoves, 1915, by S. Sternau & Co., New York, N.Y. Also see O. The product was noted by 1935 as a source of dangerous but cheap alcohol for drinking.ETD Sterno (n.).2
"of or pertaining to the sternum, clavicle, and mastoid process," 1826, medical Latin, from sterno- "sternum," Greek sternon "breast, breastbone," or Latin sternum (see sternum) + Latinized Greek kleis (see clavicle) + mastoid.ETD sternocleidomastoid (adj.).2
"breastbone of a human or other vertebrate," 1660s, from Greek sternon "chest, breast, breastbone" (in Homer, only of males), also "the breast as the seat of affections," which probably is related to stornynai "to spread out," from PIE *ster-no- "to stretch, extend," from root *stere- "to spread," on the notion of the chest as broad and flat, as opposed to the neck, "even if the exact semantic development remains uncertain," according to Beekes, who compares Old High German stirna "forehead," Russian storoná "region, side." Related: Sternal.ETD sternum (n.).2
"act of snoring," 1540s, from Late Latin sternutationem (nominative sternutatio) "a sneezing," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin sternutare, frequentative of sternuere (see sneeze (v.)). Related: Sternutory (early 15c.), sternutatory; sternutative.ETD sternutation (n.).2
"toward the stern, in the direction of the back of the ship," 1832, from stern (n.) + -ward.ETD sternward (adj.).2
naturally occuring substance based on a carbon skeleton similar to that of sterol molecules, 1936, from sterol + -oid "resembling." Related: Steroids.ETD steroid (n.).2
"white, crystalline substance discovered in gallstones," 1913, abstracted from cholesterol.ETD sterol (n.).2
"characterized by a deep snoring," 1802, with -ous + Modern Latin stertor, from Latin stertere "to snore," a derivative of sternuere "to sneeze," from PIE imitative *pst-, to render the sound of sneezing. Related: Stertorously; stertorousness. Poe has stertorious, stertoriousness.ETD stertorous (adj.).2
direction to a printer to disregard a correction made to text, 1755, from Latin stet "let it (i.e. "the original") stand," third person singular present subjunctive of stare "to stand, stand upright, be stiff" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm"). It is indicated by a line of dots under the crossed-out matter and the word stet written in the margin beside.ETD stet.2
instrument for examining the chest, 1820, from French stéthoscope, coined 1819 by its inventor, French physician René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laënnec (1781-1826), from Greek stēthos "chest, breast" + -scope. Greek stēthos is perhaps related to sternon (see sternum); it meant "front of the chest," and was only rarely used of a woman's breasts, but in Modern Greek it became the preferred polite term. Related: Stethoscopic; stethoscopically; stethoscopy.ETD stethoscope (n.).2
1902, trademark name, from John B. Stetson (1830-1906), U.S. hat manufacturer, who started his company in Philadelphia in 1865.ETD Stetson.2
"one whose occupation is the stowing of goods in a ship's hold," 1828, earlier stowadore (1788), both partly Englished from Spanish estibador "one who loads cargo; wool-packer," agent noun from estibar "to stow cargo," from Latin stipare "to cram, pack, compress, surround" (see stiff (adj.)).ETD stevedore (n.).2
masc. proper name, Englished form of Stephen (q.v.). A top 20 name for boys born in the U.S. between 1949 and 1976; the -ph- form was the more popular in U.S. until 1960s.ETD Steven.2
genus of composite plants, by 1810, from Modern Latin (Linnaeus, by 1772), from name of Spanish botanist Pedro Jaime Esteve (1500-66), + Latin abstract noun ending -ia.ETD stevia (n.).2
c. 1300, steue, "a closed vessel for cooking" (a sense now obsolete); also "heated room," especially for hot-air or steam bathing (mid-14c., especially in plural, steues); from stew (v.). The meaning "meat slowly boiled," generally with vegetables, is recorded by 1756. The colloquial sense of "state of agitation or worry" is by 1806.ETD stew (n.).2
The obsolete slang meaning "brothel" (mid-14c., usually, stews) is from a sense of "public bath house" (mid-14c.), from Old French estuve "bath, bath house; bawdy house" (Anglo-French estouve), reflecting probably the reputation of medieval bath houses.ETD stew (n.).3
late 14c., steuen, transitive "to bathe (a person or a body part) in a steam bath" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French estuver "have a hot bath, plunge into a bath; stew" (Modern French étuver), a word of uncertain origin. It is common Romanic (cognates: Spanish estufar, Italian stufare), possibly from Vulgar Latin *extufare "evaporate," from ex- "out" + *tufus "vapor, steam," from Greek typhos "smoke." Compare Old English stuf-bæþ "hot-air bath;" and compare stove, which might be related and also originally meant "heated room, bath-room."ETD stew (v.).2
The intransitive sense is by c. 1400. The transitive meaning "boil slowly, cook (meat. etc.) by simmering it in liquid" is attested from late 14c.ETD stew (v.).3
The figurative meaning "be left to the consequences of one's actions" is from 1650s, especially in fuller figurative expressions such as stew in one's own juice (1885) or grease, also in early use, water (on the image of oysters). Related: Stewed; stewing. Slang stewed "drunk" is attested by 1737.ETD stew (v.).4
Middle English steuard, steward, "official in charge of the domestic affairs of a (large) household," from Old English stiward, stigweard "one who has charge of the affairs of the household or estate of another," from stig "hall, pen for cattle, part of a house" (see sty (n.1)) + weard "guard" (from Proto-Germanic *wardaz "guard," from PIE root *wer- (3) "perceive, watch out for"). But OED writes that there is "no grounds for" presuming an origin as "keeper of a (pig) sty."ETD steward (n.).2
It was used after the Conquest as the equivalent of Old French seneschal (q.v.) and applied to royal or imperial households and became the title of a class of high officers of the state in early England and Scotland.ETD steward (n.).3
The meaning "overseer of workmen" is attested from c. 1300; the general sense of "one who manages affairs of an estate on behalf of his employer" is by late 14c. The sense of "officer on a ship in charge of provisions and meals" is by mid-15c.; extended to trains by 1906. The meaning "person who supervises arrangements" at a meeting, dinner, etc., is from 1703.ETD steward (n.).4
The Scottish form (with terminal -t attested from late 14c.) is reflected in Stewart, name of the royal house descended from Walter (the) Steward, who married (1315) Marjorie de Bruce, daughter of King Robert. Stuart is a French spelling, attested from 1429 and adopted by Mary, Queen of Scots.ETD steward (n.).5
"manage, administer," 1620s, from steward (n.).ETD steward (v.).2