Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Stasi” come from?

Stasi comes from German Stasi, a shortened form of German Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, literally "Ministry for State Security."

Stasi (English): People who engage in covert surveillence or...

Definitions

  1. People who engage in covert surveillence or...

Ancestry of “Stasi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanStasi—
2GermanStaatssicherheitState Security, secret police and intelligence...
3GermanSicherheitcertainty; security; safety
4Germansichersafe, secure; sure, certain; safely
5Middle High Germansiher—
6Old High Germansihur—
7Proto-West Germanicsikursecure, safe; sure, certain
8Latinsēcūrus—
9Latinsē-—
10Latinsexsix; 6
11Proto-Italicsekssix
12Proto-Indo-Europeanswéḱssix
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swéḱs →