stain

English

/steɪn/

noun
Definitions
  • A discoloured spot or area.
  • A blemish on one's character or reputation.
  • A substance used to soak into a surface and colour it.
  • A reagent or dye used to stain microscope specimens so as to make some structures visible.
  • (heraldry) Any of a number of non-standard tinctures used in modern heraldry.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English steinen derived from Old Norse steina (colour, stain, paint) derived from Proto-Norse gmq-pro, ᛊᛏᚨᛁᚾᚨᛉ derived from Proto-Germanic *stainaz (stone) derived from Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- (stiffen, something hard, thicken).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*steyh₂-

Gloss

stiffen, something hard, thicken

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms