Where does “stayen” come from?
stayen (Middle English) comes from Old French estaier, from Old French estaye, from Middle Dutch staeye, from Middle Dutch staede, from Old Dutch stad, from Proto-Germanic stadiz, from Proto-Indo-European stéh₂tis, from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.
Ancestry of “stayen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | estaier | to fix, prop up, support, stay |
| 2 | Old French | estaye | prop, support |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | staeye | a prop, stay |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | staede | — |
| 5 | Old Dutch | stad | a site, place, location, standing |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | stadiz | place, location |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | stéh₂tis | standing, position |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | *steh₂- | — |