English
persist
Persist comes from Latin persistere, from sistō ‘to stand’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘stand’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stísteh₂ti‘to be standing up, to be getting up’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sistō‘to stand’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsistōas sistere‘to stand’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpersistere
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600persister
- Englishearliest quotation 1868persist
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘stand’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stísteh₂ti‘to be standing up, to be getting up’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sistō‘to stand’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsistōas sistere‘to stand’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpersistere
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600persister
- Englishearliest quotation 1868persist
Earliest quotation: 1868, The British and Foreign Medico-chirurgic: “Much of this prejudice, indeed, persists; for instance, in…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘stand’
state, post, stay, rest, stand, distance, stadium, instance, constitution, contest, stood, stable, establishment, instant, stability, establish, destination, substance, stem, testimony, destiny, distant, prostitution, stud, stationary, prostitute, stool, substitution, extant, stamina, stale, attest, steadfast, stead, testimonial, destitute, astute, distal, metastatic, stow, 142 more
through Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti ‘to be standing up, to be getting up’
system, consistent, static, histone, stater, 34 more
through Latin sistō ‘to stand’
assistant, assistance, assist, resist, insist, consist, solstice, armistice, subsistence, desist, existentialist, 7 more
Today it means
verb To go on stubbornly or resolutely.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- / persist