Where does “upstair” come from?

upstair (English) comes from English stair, from Middle English steire, from Old English stǣġer, from Proto-Germanic staigriz, from Proto-Indo-European steyǵʰ- — to go.

upstair (English): upstairs

Definitions

  1. upstairs

Ancestry of “upstair”, step by step

upstair traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English stair

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstairA single step in a staircase; A series of steps;...
2Middle Englishsteirestaircase, stairs; stair, step; ladder
3Old Englishstǣġerstair, staircase
4Proto-Germanicstaigrizscaffold, platform; stairs
5Proto-Indo-Europeansteyǵʰ-to go

via English up

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishupAway from the surface of the Earth or other...
2Middle Englishupto a vertical axis
3Old Englishuppup; upstairs
4Proto-West Germanic*upp—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European steyǵʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic staigriz →Every word from Old English stǣġer →