Added 7 October 2026
stay
/steɪ/ noun
In Latin: maneō, stō Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about stay at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Continuing or remaining in a place or state.
they had a nice stay in Paris
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The state of inactivity following an interruption.
the negotiations were in arrest
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A judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted.
the Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction pending an appeal to the whole Court
verb
Origin
From Middle English steyen, staien, from Old French estayer, estaier (“to fix, prop up, support, stay”), from estaye, estaie (“a prop, stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade (“a prop, stay, help, aid”) (compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Proto-West Germanic *stadi (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing”). Influenced by Old English stæġ ("a stay, rope"; see below).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)