English

jackstay

From Jack + stay.

A compound of Jack + stay

Middle Dutch Jan ‘John’

Middle Dutch Janke

Anglo-Norman Jakke

Middle English Jakke

English Jack

Old French estaye ‘a prop, stay’

Old French estayer ‘to fix, prop up, support, stay’

Middle English steyen

English stay

Today it means

noun A stay (rope, bar or batten), running along a ship's yard, to which is attached the head of a square sail.

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

Etymograph / jackstay