Etymograph

English

steadfast

Steadfast comes from Middle English stedefast ‘Steadfast, firm, convicted’, from Old English stedefæst ‘firmly fixed’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘to stand (up)’root as named
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stadifastuzreconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150stedefæst‘firmly fixed’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500stedefast‘Steadfast, firm, convicted’
  5. Englishtodaysteadfast

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘to stand (up)’root as named
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stadifastuzreconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150stedefæst‘firmly fixed’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500stedefast‘Steadfast, firm, convicted’
  5. Englishtodaysteadfast

A compound of stead ‘place’ + fast ‘firm’

Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand’

…

Proto-Germanic *stadiz ‘place’

Proto-West Germanic *stadi

Old English stede ‘place’

Middle English sted

English stead

Proto-Germanic *fastuz ‘fixed’

Proto-West Germanic *fast ‘fixed’

Old English fæst ‘firm’

Middle English fast

English fast

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’

state, post, system, stay, rest, stand, distance, instance, constitution, assistant, stood, establish, assistance, stable, stadium, consistent, contest, instant, stability, destination, substance, assist, destiny, distant, resist, static, testimony, insist, stem, consist, persistent, prostitution, stud, stationary, persist, stool, prostitute, substitution, extant, stale, 158 more

Today it means

adj Fixed or unchanging; steady.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- / steadfast

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