stone

Where does the word "stone" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic stainaz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Stone’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: stainaz meant “stone.” German 'Stein' is a cousin. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as stān. Place names like Stanford, 'stone ford', and Stanley, 'stone clearing', come from it. It reached English by 1500s as stone. As a British weight it is now 14 pounds. Today, stone means hard solid mineral matter; a piece of rock.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient stainaz "stone", German 'Stein' is a cousin.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s stān "stone", place names like Stanford, 'stone ford', and Stanley, 'stone clearing', come from it.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s stone "stone", as a British weight it is now 14 pounds.