station

Where does the word "station" come from? It comes from Latin stare, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Station’s story begins in Latin: stare meant “to stand.” The root of 'state', 'status' and 'statue'. Within Latin, it grew into statio by ancient. A standing, a post, from stare. From there it passed into Old French as stacion by medieval. Carried into French for a fixed post or position. It reached English by 1300s as station. Settled as the English word for a place where something stops or is based. Today, station means a place where a vehicle stops, or a place where something is based.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient stare "to stand", the root of 'state', 'status' and 'statue'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient statio "a standing, a post", a standing, a post, from stare.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval stacion "a fixed post or position", carried into French for a fixed post or position.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s station "a place where something stops, is based, or is stationed", settled as the English word for a place where something stops or is based.