Where does “steam” come from?
Steam comes from Middle English stem, from Old English stemn and stefn, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steh₂-, meaning to stand or be firm.
steam (English): The vapor formed when water changes from liquid...
Definitions
- The vapor formed when water changes from liquid...
Ancestry of “steam”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | steem | — |
| 2 | Old English | stēam | steam, hot exhalation, hot breath; that which... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | staumaz | steam, vapour |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰew- | to die, pass away; to run, flow |
Words derived from “steam”