Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “homeostasis” come from?

Homeostasis comes from Ancient Greek ὅμοιος meaning "similar" and στάσις meaning "standing or position," which derived from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- meaning "to stand."

homeostasis (English): The ability of a system or living organism to...

Definitions

  1. The ability of a system or living organism to...

Ancestry of “homeostasis”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-stasisslowing down, stopping
2EnglishstasisA slackening or arrest of the blood current, due...
3New Latinstasis—
4Ancient Greekστάσιςa standing, placing, setting; party, company,...
5Proto-Hellenicstátisstanding
6Proto-Indo-Europeanstéh₂tisstanding, position
7Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-—

Words derived from “homeostasis”

  • dyshomeostasis
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- →