English word origin

Etymology of stank

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

verb

simple past of stink

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adj

Foul-smelling, stinking, unclean.

noun

A stink; a foul smell.

verb

To stink; to smell bad. · To cause to smell bad.

noun

A certain quality, especially to jazz music, which is often desirable and can be achieved by, among other things, crunchy harmonies, blue notes and groovy rhythm

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Respelling of stink, representing the thank-think merger. Compare thang.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

verb

To dam up; to block the flow of water or other liquid. · To pack in tightly. · To seal off an area of the mine in which a fire has started.

noun

Water retained by an embankment; a pool of water. · A dam or mound to stop water.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Old French estanc, (French étang), from Latin stagnum (“a pool”). Compare stagnant, stagnate.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mentionestancfro
Cognate mentionétangfr
Derivation mentionstagnumla

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

adj

Weak; worn out.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Old French estanc, or Italian stanco. See stanch (adjective).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mentionestancfro
Derivation mentionstancoit

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for stank →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-c3Rhbms