Etymograph

English

Stein

Stein comes from German Stein ‘stone, rock’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- ‘to stiffen’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steyh₂-‘to stiffen’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stóyh₂nosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stainaz‘stone’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stain‘stone’reconstructed
  5. Old High Germanc. 750–1050stein‘stone’
  6. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350same form‘stone’
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentStein‘stone, rock’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 2013same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steyh₂-‘to stiffen’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stóyh₂nosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stainaz‘stone’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stain‘stone’reconstructed
  5. Old High Germanc. 750–1050stein‘stone’
  6. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350same form‘stone’
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentStein‘stone, rock’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 2013same form

Earliest quotation: 2013, Elisheva Baskin and Michael Stein: “Elisheva Baskin and Michael Stein are to be married…”

Linked words

through Proto-Germanic *stainaz ‘stone’

stain, stony, 5 more

through Proto-West Germanic *stain ‘stone’

stone, 3 more

Today it means

name A surname originating as a patronymic from a Scots diminutive of Stephen.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- / Stein

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