Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sterner” come from?

Sterner comes from English stern, which derives from French terne, tracing back through Latin -arius and ultimately to Proto-Italic -os.

sterner (English): comparative form of stern: more stern; A director

Definitions

  1. comparative form of stern: more stern; A director

Ancestry of “sterner”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
2Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
3Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
4Latin-āre—
5Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
6Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
7Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
9Chichewaiyehe, she
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