Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “stepstool” come from?

stepstool (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.

stepstool (English): A stool with built-in steps for climbing onto it,...

Definitions

  1. A stool with built-in steps for climbing onto it,...

Ancestry of “stepstool”, step by 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 Englishstepchild—
4Old Englishstēopċildstepchild
5Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
6Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →