Where does “sty” come from?
Sty comes from Middle English sty, formed with the Middle English suffix -en from Old English iċ, which derives from Proto-Indo-European steygʰ- and éǵh₂ combined with Proto-Indo-European en.
sty (English): A pen or enclosure for swine; A messy, dirty or...
Definitions
- A pen or enclosure for swine; A messy, dirty or...
Ancestry of “sty”, step by step
sty traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English styanye
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | styanye | An inflamed swelling on the edge of the eyelid |
| 2 | Old English | stīġend | sailor |
| 3 | Old English | stīgan | to go |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | stīgan | to climb, to ascend |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | stīganą | to go up; climb, ascend |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | stéygʰeti | to be walking; to be climbing |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | steygʰ- | to go; to climb |