Etymology Explorer › Middle EnglishWhere does “stafflike” come from? stafflike (Middle English) comes from Middle English staf, from Old English stæf, from Proto-West Germanic stab, from Proto-Germanic stabaz, from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- — to stand still; to harden.
stafflike (Middle English): Literal; non-figurative
Ancestry of “stafflike”, step by step stafflike traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English staf Step Language Word Meaning 1 Middle English staf A staff, rod or pole; a relatively long, narrow,... 2 Old English stæf staff; letter, written character 3 Proto-West Germanic stab staff; letter 4 Proto-Germanic stabaz staff, stick 5 Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- to stand still; to harden
via Old English stæflic Step Language Word Meaning 1 Old English stæflic literal; of or pertaining to letters; literate,... 2 Old English līċ body 3 Proto-West Germanic līk body 4 Proto-Germanic līką body; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope 5 Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- to bind, tie