stance

Where does the word "stance" come from? It comes from Latin stare, passing through French before entering English (1530s).

Stance’s story begins in Latin: stare meant “to stand.” To stand; present participle stans/stantis formed Vulgar Latin stantia, "place, abode". By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as stance. From Vulgar Latin stantia; meant "resting place, harbor" (cf. the related but separate Italian stanza). It reached English by 1530s as stance. Settled as the English word for a standing position, or a settled viewpoint. Today, stance means the way a person stands, or a settled opinion on an issue.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient stare "to stand", to stand; present participle stans/stantis formed Vulgar Latin stantia, "place, abode".
2. Stage 2 · French · 1500s stance "a resting place, a station", from Vulgar Latin stantia; meant "resting place, harbor" (cf. the related but separate Italian stanza).
3. Stage 3 · English · 1530s stance "a standing position, or a settled viewpoint", settled as the English word for a standing position, or a settled viewpoint.