"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."
"country," source of place names such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc., from Pers. -stan "country," from Indo-Iranian *stanam "place," lit. "where one stands," from PIE *sta-no-, from base *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
O.E. brynstan, from brin- stem of brinnen "to burn" + stan "stone." Formerly "sulphur," now restricted to biblical usage. The O.N. cognate brennusteinn meant "amber," as does Ger. Bernstein.
c.1400, from O.Fr. pomis (c.1250), from L.L. pomex (acc. pomicem, gen. pumicis), from Oscan *poimex, a variant of L. pumex "pumice," from PIE *poimo-, with connotations of "foam, froth." O.E. had pumic-stan.
O.E. stan, used of common rocks, precious gems, concretions in the body, memorial stones, from P.Gmc. *stainaz (cf. O.N. steinn, Dan. steen, O.H.G., Ger. stein, Goth. stains), from PIE *stai- "stone," also "to thicken, stiffen" (cf. Skt. styayate "curdles, becomes hard;" Avestan stay- "heap;" Gk. stear "fat, tallow," stia, stion "pebble;" O.C.S. stena "wall"). Slang sense of "testicle" is from 1154. The British measure of weight (usually equal to 14 pounds) is from 1390s, originally a specific stone. Phrase stone's throw for "a short distance" is attested from 1581. Metaphoric use of stone wall for "act of obstruction" is first attested 1876; stonewall (v.) "to obstruct" is from 1914. Stone Age is from 1864. To kill two birds with one stone is first attested 1656.
direction to printer to disregard correction made to text, 1755, from L. stet "let it stand," third person singular present subjunctive of stare "to stand, stand upright, be stiff," from PIE base *sta- "to stand, set down, make or be firm" (cf. Skt. tisthati "stands;" Avestan histaiti "to stand;" Pers. -stan "country," lit. "where one stands;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still," statos "placed," stater "a weight, coin," stylos "pillar;" L. sistere "stand still, stop, make stand, place, produce in court," status "manner, position, condition, attitude," statio "station, post;" Lith. stojus "place myself," statau "place;" O.C.S. staja "place myself," stanu "position," staru "old," lit. "long-standing;" Goth. standan, O.E. standan "to stand," O.N. steði "anvil," O.E. stede "place;" O.Ir. sessam "the act of standing").