ster-

I. ster-¹

Stiff.

Derivatives include stare, starch, stork, starve, and torpedo.

I. O-grade form *stor-.

1. Suffixed form *stor-ē-. stare, from Old English starian, to stare, from Germanic *starēn.

2. Extended form *stor-g-.

a. stark, from Old English stearc, hard, severe, from Germanic *starkaz;

b. starch, from Old English *stercan, to stiffen, from Germanic denominative *starkjan.

II. Full-grade form *ster-.

1. stern¹, from Old English stierne, styrne, firm, from Germanic *sternjaz.

2. Suffixed form *ster-ewo-. stere, stereo-; cholesterol, from Greek stereos, solid.

3. Lengthened-grade form *stēr-. sterigma, from Greek stērizein, to support.

III. Zero-grade form *str̥-.

1. Extended form *str̥g-. stork, from Old English storc, stork (probably from the stiff movements of the bird), from Germanic *sturkaz.

2. strut, from Old English strūtian, to stand out stiffly, from Germanic *strūt-.

IV. Extended form *sterd-.

1. redstart, stark-naked, from Old English steort, tail, from Germanic *stertaz.

2.

a. start, from Old English *styrtan, to leap up (< “move briskly, move stiffly”);

b. startle, from Old English steartlian, to kick, struggle. Both a and b from Germanic *stert-.

V. Extended form *sterbh-. starve, from Old English steorfan, to die (< “become rigid”), from Germanic *sterban.

VI. Extended form *(s)terp- in suffixed (stative) zero-grade form *tr̥p-ē-. torpedo, torpid, torpor, from Latin torpēre, to be stiff.

 

[Pokorny 1. (s)ter- 1022.]

  II. ster-²

Also sterə-. To spread.

Derivatives include destroy, industry, straw, street, and stratagem.

I. Extended form *streu-.

1. strain², from Old English strēon, something gained, offspring, from Germanic suffixed form *streu-nam.

2. structure; construct, destroy, instruct, instrument, obstruct, substruction, from Latin struere, to pile up, construct.

3. Zero-grade form *stru-. industry, from Latin industrius, diligent, from Archaic Latin indostruus (endo-, within; see en).

4. bremsstrahlung, from Old High German strāla, arrow, lightning bolt, from Germanic *strēlō.

II. O-grade extended form *strou-.

1. Suffixed form *strou-eyo-.

a. strew, from Old English strē(o)wian, to strew;

b. streusel, from Old High German strouwen, strowwen, to sprinkle, strew. Both a and b from Germanic *strawjan.

2. Suffixed form *strow-o-. straw, from Old English strēaw, straw, from Germanic *strawam, “that which is scattered.”

III. O-grade extended form *stroi-. perestroika, from Old Russian strojĭ, order.

IV. Basic forms *ster-, *sterə-.

1. Nasalized form *ster-n-ə-. estray, stratus, stray, street; consternate, prostrate, substratum, from Latin sternere (past participle strātus from zero-grade *str̥ə-to-), to stretch, extend.

2. Suffixed form *ster-no-. sternum; sternocleidomastoid, from Greek sternon, breast, breastbone.

V. Zero-grade form *str̥-, *str̥ə-.

1. Suffixed form *str̥-to-. stratagem; stratocracy, from Greek stratos, multitude, army, expedition.

2. Suffixed form *str̥ə-to-. strath, from Old Irish srath, a wide river valley, from Celtic *s(t)rato-.

3. Suffixed extended form *str̥ə-mn̥. stroma; stromatolite, from Greek strōma, mattress, bed.

 

[Pokorny 5. ster- 1029.]

  III. ster-³

Star. Oldest form *ə₂ster-.

1. Suffixed form *ster-s-. star, from Old English steorra, star, from Germanic *sterzōn-.

2. Suffixed form *stēr-lā-. stellar, stellate; constellation, from Latin stēlla, star.

3. Basic form *əster-. aster, asteriated, asterisk, asterism, asteroid, astral, astro-; astraphobia, disaster, from Greek astēr, star, with its derivative astron, star, and possible compound astrapē, asteropē, lightning, twinkling (< “looking like a star” ōps, op-, eye, appearance; see okʷ-).

4. Esther¹, perhaps from Persian sitareh, star, from Iranian stem *stā̆r- (or perhaps of Semitic origin; see ʿṯtr in Appendix II).

 

[Pokorny 2. stē̆r- 1027.]

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