Where does “staunch” come from?

Staunch comes from Middle English staunche, from Old French estanche, a word of uncertain ultimate origin.

staunch (English): Loyal, trustworthy, reliable; Dependable,...

Definitions

  1. Loyal, trustworthy, reliable; Dependable,...

Ancestry of “staunch”, step by step

staunch traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English staunche

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishstaunche—
2Old Frenchestanchefirm, watertight
3Old Frenchestancpond
4Old Frenchestanchierto staunch
5Vulgar Latinstanticareto make stagnant
6Latinstānticustired
7Latinstānsstanding
8Latinstōto stand
9Proto-Italicstaēōstand
10Proto-Indo-Europeansth₂éh₁yetito stand
11Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-—

via Anglo-Norman estaunche

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanestaunche—

Words derived from “staunch”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European sth₂éh₁yeti →Every word from Proto-Italic staēō →