Where does “upstairs” come from?
Upstairs is a compound of English up and stair, which derives from Middle English stair, Old French -esse, and Proto-Indo-European steygʰ-, meaning to climb or step.
upstairs (English): Located on a higher floor or level of a building;...
Definitions
- Located on a higher floor or level of a building;...
Ancestry of “upstairs”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | up- | Used to indicate increase; Used to indicate... |
| 2 | Middle English | up- | — |
| 3 | Old English | ūp- | up- |
| 4 | Old English | ūp | up, from above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | upp | up, upwards |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ub | under |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |