Where does “diefstal” come from?
diefstal (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch diefstal, from Middle High German diepstale, from Middle High German stale, from Dalmatian stala, from Esperanto ŝtalo, from German Stahl, from Middle High German stahel, from Old High German stahal — to stand.
diefstal (Dutch): theft
Ancestry of “diefstal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | diefstal | — |
| 2 | Middle High German | diepstale | — |
| 3 | Middle High German | stale | theft |
| 4 | Dalmatian | stala | star |
| 5 | Esperanto | ŝtalo | steel |
| 6 | German | Stahl | steel |
| 7 | Middle High German | stahel | steel |
| 8 | Old High German | stahal | — |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | stahliją | something made of steel |
| 10 | Proto-Germanic | stahlą | steel |
| 11 | Proto-Germanic | stah- | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | stāk- | stand, pole |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | stā- | to stand, place |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |
Words derived from “diefstal”