Online Etymology Dictionary

stammtisch: 1938, "table reserved for regular customers in a Ger. restaurant," from Ger. Stammtisch, from Stamm "cadre," lit. "tree, trunk" + tisch "table."
stamp (v.): O.E. stempan "to pound in a mortar, stamp," from P.Gmc. *stampojanan (cf. O.N. stappa, M.Du. stampen, O.H.G. stampfon, Ger. stampfen "to stamp with the foot, beat, pound," Ger. Stampfe "pestle"), from nasalized form of PIE base *stebh- "to support, place firmly on" (cf. Gk. stembein "to trample, misuse;" see staff). The meaning "impress or mark (something) with a die" is first recorded 1560. To stamp out "extinguish (a fire) by stamping on it" is attested from 1851 in the fig. sense. Stamping ground "one's particular territory" (1821) is from the notion of animals. It. stampa "stamp, impression," Sp. estampar "to stamp, print," Fr. estamper "to stamp, impress" are Gmc. loan-words.
stamp (n.): 1465, "stamping tool," from stamp (v.). Sense of "official mark or imprint" (to certify that duty has been paid on what has been printed or written) dates from 1542; transferred 1837 to adhesive labels issued by governments to serve the same purpose as impressed stamps. Stamp-collecting is from 1862.
stampede: 1828, from Mex.Sp. estampida, from Sp., "an uproar," from estamper "to stamp, press, pound," from Gmc. root of Eng. stamp (v.). The verb is from 1823. The political sense is first recorded 1846. As the name of an annual exhibition of cowboy skills in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, it is attested from 1912.
stance: 1532, "standing place, station," probably from M.Fr. stance "resting place, harbor," from It. stanza "stopping place, station," from V.L. *stantia "place, abode," from L. stans (gen. stantis), prp. of stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Sense of "position of the feet" (in golf, etc.) is first recorded 1897; fig. sense of "point of view" is recorded from 1956.
stanch (v.): "to stop the flow of" (esp. blood), c.1300, from O.Fr. estanchier "cause to cease flowing, stop, hinder," from V.L. *stancare, perhaps contracted from *stagnicare, from L. stagnum "pond, pool" (see stagnate).
stanchion: 1343, from O.Fr. estanchon "prop, brace, support" (Fr. étançon), probably from estant "upright," from prp. of ester "be upright, stand," from L. stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
stand (v.): O.E. standan (class VI strong verb; past tense stod, pp. standen), from P.Gmc. *sta-n-d- (cf. O.N. standa, O.S., Goth. standan, O.H.G. stantan, Swed. stå, Du. staan, Ger. stehen), from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (cf. Skt. tisthati "stands," Gk. histemi "cause to stand, set, place," L. stare "stand," Lith. stojus, O.C.S. stajati; see stet). Sense of "to exist, be present" is attested from c.1300. Meaning "to pay for as a treat" is from 1821. Phrase stands to reason (1620) is from earlier stands (is constant) with reason. Phrase stand pat is originally from poker (1882); stand down in the military sense of "go off duty" is first recorded 1916. Standing ovation attested by 1968; standing army is from 1603.
stand (n.): "pause, delay," O.E., from the root of stand (v.). Meaning "place of standing, position" is from c.1300; fig. sense is from 1595. Sense of "action of standing or coming to a position" is attested from 1392, especially in ref. to fighting. Meaning "raised platform for a hunter or sportsman" is attested from c.1400. Sense of "Stall or booth" is first recorded 1508. Military meaning "complete set" (of arms, colors, etc.) is from 1721, often a collective sing. Sense of "standing growth of trees" is 1868, Amer.Eng. Theatrical sense of "each stop made on a performance tour" is from 1896. The word was formerly also slang for "an erection" (1867).
stand by (v.): c.1250, "to await, support," from stand (v.). As an order to hold one's self in readiness, it is recorded from 1669. As a noun, it is attested from 1796, originally nautical, of a vessel kept nearby for emergencies. In ref. to civil aviation, adj. meaning "without a booked ticket" is from 1961.
stand for: 1567, "represent, be in place of," from stand (v.). Meaning "endure, undergo" is recorded from 1606. Sense of "tolerate" first recorded 1626.
stand in (v.): "substitute," 1904, show-biz slang, from stand (v.). As a noun, it is attested from 1928.
stand up: "courageous," 1811, originally of fist fights. To stand (someone) up "fail to keep an appointment" is attested from 1902. Stand-up comic first attested 1966.
stand-out (n.): "one who is conspicuous in a crowd," 1928.
standard: 1138, "flag or other conspicuous object to serve as a rallying point for a military force," from O.Fr. estandart, probably from Frank. *standhard, lit. "stand fast or firm," a compound of words similar to Gothic standan "to stand" (see stand) and hardus "hard" (see hard). So called because the flag was fixed to a pole or spear and stuck in the ground to stand upright. The other theory connects the O.Fr. word to estendre "to stretch out," from L. extendere (see extend). Meaning "unit of measure" is 1327, from Anglo-Fr., where it was used 13c., and is perhaps metaphoric, the royal standard coming to stand for royal authority in matters like setting weights and measures. Hence the meaning "authoritative or recognized exemplar of quality or correctness" (1477). Meaning "rule, principal or means of judgment" is from 1562. That of "definite level of attainment" is attested from 1711 (e.g. standard of living, 1903). Some senses (e.g. "upright pole," c.1450) seem to be infl. by stand (v.). Standardize is recorded from 1873. Standard-bearer in the figurative sense is from 1561.
standing: 1382, action of the verb stand (q.v.). In the sense of "rank, status," it is first recorded 1580. Legal sense is first recorded 1924. Sports sense is from 1881.
standoff: 1843, "draw, tie," from stand (v.) + off. Mexican stand-off "stalemate" is recorded from 1891. Adj. standoffish is first attested 1860, from verbal phrase stand off "hold aloof" (c.1600).
standpoint: 1829, from stand (v.) + point. A loan-translation of Ger. Standpunkt.
standstill: "state of cessation of movement," 1702, from stand (v.) + still (adj.). Earlier the notion would have been expressed simply by stand.
Stanford-Binet: intelligence test, first published 1916 as a revision and extension of the Binet-Simon intelligence tests, from Sanford University + Alfred Binet (1857-1911).
stanine: "nine-point scale for test scores," introduced by the U.S. Air Force in 1942, from sta(ndard) + nine.
Stanislavsky: in ref. to a method of acting, 1924, from Rus. actor and director Konstantin Stanislavsky (1863-1938).
stank: p.t. of sink (q.v.).
stannic: "containing tin," 1790, from Mod.L. stannum, from L.L. stannum "tin" (originally an alloy of silver and lead), a scribal alteration of L. stagnum, probably from a Celt. source (cf. Ir. stan "tin," Cornish, Bret. sten, Welsh ystaen). The L. word is the source of It. stagno, Fr. étain, Sp. estaño "tin."
stanza: "group of rhymed verse lines," 1588, from It. stanza "verse of a poem," originally "standing, stopping place," from V.L. *stantia "a stanza of verse," so called from the stop at the end of it, from L. stans (gen. stantis), prp. of stare "to stand" (see stet).
stapes: "stirrup bone in the middle ear," 1670, Mod.L. (1564), special use of M.L. stapes "stirrup," probably an alteration of L.L. stapia, related to stare "to stand" + pedem "foot." So called because the bone is shaped like a stirrup. This was an invented M.L. word for "stirrup," for which there was no classical L. word, as the ancients did not use stirrups.
staphylococcus: 1887, Mod.L., the genus name, coined (on model of streptococcus) in 1882 by Scottish surgeon and bacteriologist Alexander Ogston (1844-1929), from Gk. staphyle "bunch of grapes" (see staff) + Mod.L. coccus "spherical bacterium," from Gk. kokkos "berry, grain." So called because the bacteria usually bunch together in irregular masses. Colloquial short form staph is attested from 1933.
staple (1): "bent piece of metal with pointed ends," 1295, from O.E. stapol "post, pillar," from P.Gmc. *stapulaz "pillar" (cf. O.Fris. stapul "stem of a tooth," M.L.G. stapel "block for executions," Ger. stapel "stake, beam"), from PIE stebh- (see staff). How this evolved into the modern fastening device is unclear, and it may not be the same word. Meaning "piece of thin wire driven through papers to hold them together" is attested from 1895; stapler is from 1951.
staple (2): "principal article grown or made in a country or district," 1423, "official market for some class of merchandise," from Anglo-Fr. (14c.), from O.Fr. estaple "market," from a Gmc. source akin to M.L.G. stapol, M.Du. stapel "market," from the same source as staple (1), the notion being of market stalls behind pillars of an arcade, or else of a raised platform where the king's deputies administered judgment. The sense of "principle article grown or made in a place" is 1616, short for staple ware "wares and goods from a market" (1432).
star (n.): O.E. steorra, from P.Gmc. *sterron, *sternon (cf. O.S. sterro, O.N. stjarna, O.Fris. stera, Du. ster, O.H.G. sterro, Ger. Stern, Goth. stairno), from PIE *ster- (cf. Skt. star-, Hittite shittar, Gk. aster, astron, L. stella, Bret. sterenn, Welsh seren "star"). Astrological sense of "influence of planets and zodiac on human affairs" is recorded from c.1250; star-crossed is from "Romeo and Juliet" (1592). Stars as a ranking of quality for hotels, restaurants, etc. are attested from 1886, originally in Baedecker guides. Brass star as a police badge is recorded from 1859 (New York City). Starlight is c.1374; star-fruit (Damasonium stellatum) is first attested 1857; starfish first attested 1538; star-gazer is from 1560. Starry-eyed "unrealistically optimistic" is attested from 1936 (in "Gone With the Wind"). Starship first attested 1934 (in "Astounding Stories").
star (v.): 1824, "perform the lead part" (said of actors, singers, etc.), from star (n.). Sporting sense is from 1916. Starlet in Hollywood sense first recorded 1920.
Star Chamber: late 14c., apartment in the royal palace at Westminster in which members of the king's council sat to exercise jurisdiction 14-15c., it evolved 15c. into a court of criminal jurisdiction, proverbial under James I and Charles I for arbitrary and oppressive proceedings. Abolished 1641. Supposedly so called because gilt stars were painted on the ceiling.
Star Wars: name of a popular science fiction film released in 1977; also the informal name for a space-based missile defense system proposed in 1983 by U.S. president Ronald Reagan.
starboard: O.E. steorbord, lit. "side on which a vessel was steered," from steor- "rudder, steering paddle" + bord "ship's side." Cf. O.N. stjornborði, Low Ger. stürbord, Ger. Steuerbord. Early Germanic peoples' boats were propelled and steered by a paddle on the right side. Fr. tribord (O.Fr. estribord), It. stribordo are Gmc. loan-words.
starch (v.): 1402, from O.E. *stercan (Mercian), *stiercan (W.Saxon) "make rigid," found in stercedferhð "fixed, hard, resolute" (related to stearc "stiff"), from P.Gmc. *starkijanan (cf. Ger. Stärke "strength, starch"), from PIE base *ster- "strong, firm, stiff, rigid" (see stark). The noun meaning "pasty substance used to stiffen cloth" is first recorded c.1440, from the verb. Fig. sense of "stiffness of manner" is recorded from 1705.
stare (v.): O.E. starian "to look fixedly at," from P.Gmc. *star- "be rigid" (cf. O.N. stara, M.L.G., M.Du. staren, O.H.G. staren, Ger. starren "to stare at;" Ger. starren "to stiffen," starr "stiff;" O.N. storr "proud;" O.H.G. storren "to stand out, project;" Goth. andstaurran "to be obstinate"), from PIE base *ster- "strong, firm, stiff, rigid" (cf. Lith. storas "thick," stregti "to become frozen;" Skt. sthirah "hard, firm;" Pers. suturg "strong;" O.C.S. staru "old;" cf. sterile and torpor). Not originally implying rudeness.
stare (n.): "starling," from O.E. (see starling).
stark: O.E. stearc "stiff, strong" (related to starian "to stare"), from P.Gmc. *starkaz (cf. O.N. sterkr, O.Fris. sterk, M.Du. starc, O.H.G. starah, Ger. stark, Goth. *starks), from PIE base *ster- "stiff, rigid" (see stare). Meaning "utter, sheer, complete" first recorded c.1400, perhaps from infl. of common phrase stark dead (late 14c.), with stark mistaken as an intensive adj. Sense of "bare, barren" is from 1833. Stark naked (1520s) is from M.E. start naked (early 13c.), from O.E. steort "tail, rump." Hence Brit. slang starkers "naked" (1923).
starling: O.E. stærlinc, with dim. suffix -linc, from stær "starling," from P.Gmc. *staraz (cf. O.E. stearn, O.N. stari, Norw. stare, O.H.G. stara, Ger. star "starling"), from PIE *storo- (cf. L. sturnus "starling," O.Pruss. starnite "gull").
Stars and Stripes: "American flag," attested from 1782. Stars and Bars as a name for the Confederate flag is attested from 1863. Star-spangled is attested from 1591; Star-Spangled Banner "United States flag" is 1814, from Francis Scott Key's poem (printed in the "Baltimore Patriot" Sept. 20).
start (v.): O.E. *steortian, *stiertan, Kentish variants of styrtan "to leap up" (related to starian "to stare"), from P.Gmc. *sturtjan- (cf. O.Fris. stirta "to fall, tumble," M.Du. sterten, Du. storten "to rush, fall," O.H.G. sturzen, Ger. stürzen "to hurl, throw, plunge"), of unknown origin. From "move or spring suddenly," sense evolved by late 14c. to "awaken suddenly, flinch or recoil in alarm," and 1660s to "cause to begin acting or operating." Meaning "begin to move, leave, depart" is from 1821. The connection is probably from sporting senses ("to force an animal from its lair," late 14c.). To start something "cause trouble" is 1917, Amer.Eng. colloquial. For starters "to begin with" is 1873, Amer.Eng. colloquial. Starter home is from 1976; starter set is from 1946, originally of china. Starting block first recorded 1937.
start (n.): late 14c., "a sudden movement," from start (v.); meaning "act of beginning to build a house" is from 1946. That of "opportunity at the beginning of a career or course of action" is from 1849. False start first attested 1850.
startle: c.1300, "run to and fro," frequentative of sterten (see start). Sense of "move suddenly in surprise or fear" first recorded 1530. Trans. meaning "frighten suddenly" is from 1595. The word retains more of the original meaning of start (v.).
starve: O.E. steorfan "to die" (pt. stearf, pp. storfen), from P.Gmc. *sterban "be stiff" (cf. O.Fris. sterva, Du. sterven, O.H.G. sterban "to die," O.N. stjarfi "tetanus"), from PIE base *ster- "stiff, rigid" (cf. Gk. sterphnios "stiff, rigid," sterphos "hide, skin," O.C.S. strublu "strong, hard;" see stare). The conjugation became weak in Eng. by 16c. The sense narrowed to "die of cold" (14c.); meaning "to kill with hunger" is first recorded 1530 (earlier to starve of hunger, 1124). Intrans. sense of "to die of hunger" dates from 1578. Ger. cognate sterben retains the original sense of the word, but the Eng. has come so far from its origins that starve to death (1910) is now common. Starvation (1778) is a hybrid, with a L. ending, apparently first used in ref. to British policies toward rebellious New England colonies.
stash (v.): "to conceal, hide," 1797, criminals' slang, of unknown origin, perhaps a blend of stow and cache. The noun meaning "hoard, cache" is 1914, from the verb. Slang sense of "personal supply of narcotics" is from 1942.
stasis: 1745, from Medical L., from Gk. stasis "a standing still," related to statos "placed," verbal adj. of histemi "cause to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
stat: "instrument that keeps something stationary," before 1970, shortened form of L. statim (adv.), originally "to a standstill," from status (see state). The combining form -stat used in devices for stabilizing (thermostat, etc.) is from Gk. statos "standing, stationary," from histanai "to cause to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). First used in heliostat "an instrument for causing the sun to appear stationary" (1742).
state (n.1): early 13c., "circumstances, temporary attributes of a person or thing, conditions," from L. status "manner of standing, position, condition," noun of action from pp. stem of stare "to stand" from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Some M.E. senses are via O.Fr. estat (Fr. état; see estate). The L. word was adopted into other modern Gmc. languages (e.g. Ger., Du. staat) but chiefly in the political senses only. Meaning "physical condition as regards form or structure" is attested from late 13c. Meaning "mental or emotional condition" is attested from 1530s (phrase state of mind first attested 1749); colloquial sense of "agitated or perturbed state" is from 1837.
"He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." [U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section iii]
state (v.): c.1590, "to set in a position," from state (n.1); the sense of "declare in words" is first attested 1647, from the notion of "placing" something on the record. Statement is attested from 1775.
state (n.2): "political organization of a country, supreme civil power, government," 1530s, from state (n.1); this sense grew out of the meaning "condition of a country" with regard to government, prosperity, etc. (late 13c.), from L. phrases such as status rei publicæ "condition of the republic." Often in phrase church and state, which is attested from 1580s. The sense of "semi-independent political entity under a federal authority" (as in the United States of America) is from 1856; the British North American colonies occasionally were called states as far back as 1630s. The states has been short for "the United States of America" since 1777; hence stateside (1944), World War II U.S. military slang. State rights in U.S. political sense is attested from 1798; form states rights is first recorded 1858. Statesman is from 1590s.