Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “metastability” come from?

metastability (English) comes from English stability, from Old French stabilité, from Latin stabilitas, from Latin stabilis, from Latin stare, from Latin sto, from Proto-Italic staēō, from Proto-Indo-European sth₂éh₁yeti.

metastability (English): An unstable but potentially long-lived state of a...

Definitions

  1. An unstable but potentially long-lived state of a...

Ancestry of “metastability”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstabilityThe condition of being stable or in equilibrium,...
2Old FrenchstabilitéAlternative form of estabilité
3Latinstabilitasstability, steadiness, immovability
4LatinstabilisThat stands firm; firm, steadfast, steady, sure,...
5Latinstarepresent active infinitive of stō; stand; to be
6LatinstoI stand; I stay, remain; I am
7Proto-Italicstaēōstand
8Proto-Indo-Europeansth₂éh₁yeti—
9Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- →