Where does “stone” come from?
Stone comes from Old English stān, which derives from Proto-Indo-European steh₂-, meaning to stand or be firm, reflecting the sense of something solid and immovable.
stone (English): A hard earthen substance that can form large...
Definitions
- A hard earthen substance that can form large...
Ancestry of “stone”, step by step
stone traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English stone
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | stone | A stone, boulder, or pebble; A solid mass... |
| 2 | Old English | stān | stone, rock |
| 3 | Old Norse | Veggr | name of a dwarf |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wajjuz | wall |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wh̥₁yús | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | weh₁y- | to twist, wind, weave, plait; to wrap, enclose,... |
via Middle English stan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | stan | Alternative form of stone; stone |
via Middle English ston
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ston | Alternative form of stone |