Etymograph

English

stylus

Stylus comes from Latin stilus ‘a stake or pale’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstilusas stylus‘a stake or pale’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2008stylus

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstilusas stylus‘a stake or pale’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2008stylus

Earliest quotation: 2008, PDA: “Use the stylus to scroll up and down the…”

The story

Probably not directly related to Ancient Greek στῦλος (stûlos, “a pillar”).

Linked words

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

attack, stock, stick, tiger, stigma, etiquette, stitch, detach, instigate, tigress, 9 more

through Latin stilus ‘a stake or pale’

style, stiletto, 2 more

Today it means

noun An ancient writing implement consisting of a small rod with a pointed end for scratching letters on clay, wax-covered tablets or other surfaces, and a blunt end for obliterating them.

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

Etymograph / Latin stilus / stylus

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