Etymograph

English

stick

Stick comes from Middle English sticke ‘branch, twig’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- ‘to be sharp’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)teyg-‘to be sharp’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikaną‘to stick’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikkōną‘to fix’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikkô‘pole’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stikkō‘stick’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150sticca‘stick’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sticke‘branch’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1611stick

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)teyg-‘to be sharp’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikaną‘to stick’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikkōną‘to fix’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikkô‘pole’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stikkō‘stick’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150sticca‘stick’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sticke‘branch’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1611stick

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Bible, King James Version edition: “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick,…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- ‘to be sharp’

style, tiger, stigma, stylus, instigate, stiletto, tigress, 9 more

through Proto-Germanic *stikaną ‘to stick’

attack, stock, etiquette, stitch, detach, shtick, schtick, 3 more

Another origin of stick

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stignéh₂-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*stikkōną‘to pierce, prick, be sharp’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*stikkōnreconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150stician‘to pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500stiken‘to stick, pierce, stab, remain embedded, be fastened’
  6. Englishtodaystick

Today it means

noun A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- / stick

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