Where does “state” come from?
State derives from Latin status, the past participle of Latin sto, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steh₂-, meaning to stand or be positioned.
state (English): A condition; a set of circumstances applying at...
Definitions
- A condition; a set of circumstances applying at...
Ancestry of “state”, step by step
state traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French estat
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | estat | state; government; condition |
| 2 | Latin | stātus | fixed, set, having been set |
| 3 | Latin | stō | to stand |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | staēō | stand |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sth₂éh₁yeti | to stand |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | *steh₂- | — |
via Latin status
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | status | fixed, set, having been set; regular; state,... |
| 2 | Latin | sisto | I cause to stand; I set; I place; I stop, I halt;... |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | sistō | stand; place |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | stísteh₂ti | to be standing up, to be getting up |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |