English
stead
Stead comes from Old English stede ‘place’, from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis ‘standing, location’, and ultimately from *steh₂-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘to stand’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stéh₂tis‘standing, location’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stadiz‘place’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stadireconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150stede‘place’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sted
- Englishearliest quotation 1590stead
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘to stand’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stéh₂tis‘standing, location’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stadiz‘place’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stadireconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150stede‘place’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sted
- Englishearliest quotation 1590stead
Earliest quotation: 1590, Edmund Spenser, Book II: “For he ne wonneth in one certaine stead, /…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand’
state, post, system, stay, rest, stand, distance, assistant, assistance, constitution, instance, stood, establishment, establish, stable, assist, stadium, consistent, stability, instant, destination, contest, substance, destiny, distant, resist, static, testimony, insist, consist, stem, prostitution, persistent, stationary, stud, persist, extant, substitution, stool, prostitute, 156 more
through Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis ‘standing, location’
through Proto-West Germanic *stadi
Today it means
noun The position or function (of someone or something), as taken on by a successor.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- / stead