Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “stony” come from?

stony (Middle English) comes from Old English stāniġ, from Proto-Germanic stainagaz, from Proto-Germanic stainaz, from Proto-Indo-European steyh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- — to stand.

stony (Middle English): Comprised or composed of stone or rock; Made or...

Definitions

  1. Comprised or composed of stone or rock; Made or...

Ancestry of “stony”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstāniġ—
2Proto-Germanicstainagazstony, rocky
3Proto-Germanicstainazstone
4Proto-Indo-Europeansteyh₂-to stiffen
5Proto-Indo-Europeansteh₂-to stand

Words derived from “stony”

  • stony
  • stonily
  • stoney
  • stonyhearted
  • stonyheartedness
  • unstony
Every word from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- →