Where does “step stool” come from?

step stool (English) comes from English step, from English stepchild, from Middle English stepchild, from Old English stēopċild, from Old English ċild, from Proto-Germanic kelþaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

step stool (English): A stool of various designs with one or more...

Definitions

  1. A stool of various designs with one or more...

Ancestry of “step stool”, step by step

step stool traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstepAn advance or movement made from one foot to the...
2EnglishstepchildThe child of one's spouse but not one's own; A...
3Middle Englishstepchildstepchild child of a spouse
4Old Englishstēopċildstepchild
5Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
6Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

via English stool

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstoolA seat, especially for one person and without...
2Middle Englishstool
3Old Englishstōlchair, seat, throne
4Proto-West Germanic*stōlstool, chair
5Proto-Germanicstōlazstool; throne; chair
6Proto-Indo-Europeanstoh₂losframe, rack, stand
7Proto-Indo-Europeansteh₂-to stand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel-