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Where does the word "stern" come from? It comes from Old Norse stjorn, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "stern" come from? It comes from Old Norse stjorn, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Stern’s story begins in Old Norse: stjorn meant “steering, guidance.” Steering, the act of guiding a ship, related to the steering position at the rear. It reached English by 1300s as stern. Settled as the English word for the rear part of a ship. Today, stern means the rear part of a ship or boat.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval stjorn "steering, guidance", steering, the act of guiding a ship, related to the steering position at the rear.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s stern "the rear part of a ship or boat", settled as the English word for the rear part of a ship.