*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of stile

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *steygʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *stéygʰeti Proto-Germanic *stīganą Proto-West Germanic *stīgan Proto-West Germanic *-i Proto-West Germanic *stigi Proto-Indo-Europ

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 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 ↗
noun

A set of one or more steps surmounting a fence or wall, or a narrow gate or contrived passage through a fence or wall, which in either case allows people but not livestock to pass. · A vertical component of a frame or panel, such as that of a door, window, or ladder.

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

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *steygʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *stéygʰeti Proto-Germanic *stīganą Proto-West Germanic *stīgan Proto-West Germanic *-i Proto-West Germanic *stigi Proto-Indo-European *-lósder.? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *-tromder.? Proto-Germanic *-ilaz Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-Germanic *ilō Proto-West Germanic *-ilu Proto-West Germanic *stigilu Old English stiġel Middle English stile English stile From Middle English stile, style, stiȝele, from Old English stiġel (“stile, set of steps for getting over a fence”), from Proto-West Germanic *stigilu, from Proto-Germanic *stigilō (“entry, entrance, overpass, device for climbing, stile”), equivalent to sty (“to ascend, climb”) + -le. Cognate with Dutch stegel (“stirrup”), Low German Stegel (“stile”), German Stiegel (“stile”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Inspect preserved source fields

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

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*steygʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:stile<id:stairs>",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *steygʰ-\nProto-Indo-European *-eti\nProto-Indo-European *stéygʰeti\nProto-Germanic *stīganą\nProto-West Germanic *stīgan\nProto-West Germanic *-i\nProto-West Germanic *stigi\nProto-Indo-European *-lósder.?\nProto-Indo-European *-tḗr\nProto-Indo-European *-om\nProto-Indo-European *-tromder.?\nProto-Germanic *-ilaz\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂\nProto-Germanic *-ō\nProto-Germanic *ilō\nProto-West Germanic *-ilu\nProto-West Germanic *stigilu\nOld English stiġel\nMiddle English stile\nEnglish stile\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*stīganą\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*stīgan\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-i\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*stigi\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"agent nouns\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-lós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" }, { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"tool noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent noun\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tḗr\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-om\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-trom\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ilaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"o-grade\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-h₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-éh₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ō\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*ilō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ilu\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*stigilu\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"stiġel\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"stile\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"stile\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"stile\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "stile,style,stiȝele"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English stile, style, stiȝele"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "stiġel",
        "4": "",
        "5": "stile, set of steps for getting over a fence"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English stiġel (“stile, set of steps for getting over a fence”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*stigilu"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *stigilu"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*stigilō",
        "4": "",
        "5": "entry, entrance, overpass, device for climbing, stile"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *stigilō (“entry, entrance, overpass, device for climbing, stile”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "suffix",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sty",
        "3": "le",
        "t1": "to ascend, climb"
      },
      "expansion": "sty (“to ascend, climb”) + -le"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "stegel",
        "3": "",
        "4": "stirrup"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch stegel (“stirrup”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds",
        "2": "Stegel",
        "3": "",
        "4": "stile"
      },
      "expansion": "Low German Stegel (“stile”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Stiegel",
        "3": "",
        "4": "stile"
      },
      "expansion": "German Stiegel (“stile”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:stile<id:stairs>",
        "tree": "1"
      },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*steygʰ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/steygʰ-"
    ],
    [
      "*-eti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eti"
    ],
    [
      "*stéygʰeti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/stéygʰeti"
    ],
    [
      "*stīganą",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/stīganą"
    ],
    [
      "*stīgan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/stīgan"
    ],
    [
      "*-i",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-i"
    ],
    [
      "*stigi",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/stigi"
    ],
    [
      "*-lós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-lós#Proto-Indo-European:_agent_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "*-tḗr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tḗr#Proto-Indo-European:_agent_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*-om",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-om"
    ],
    [
      "*-trom",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-trom#Proto-Indo-European:_tool_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*-ilaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ilaz#Proto-Germanic:_agent_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*-h₂",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-h₂#Proto-Indo-European:_collective_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "*-éh₂",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-éh₂#Proto-Indo-European:_o-grade"
    ],
    [
      "*-ō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ō#Proto-Germanic:_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*ilō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ilō"
    ],
    [
      "*-ilu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ilu"
    ],
    [
      "*stigilu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/stigilu"
    ],
    [
      "stiġel",
      "stigel#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "stile",
      "stile#Middle_English:_stairs"
    ],
    [
      "stile",
      "stile#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "style",
      "style#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "stiȝele",
      "stiȝele#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "stiġel",
      "stigel#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*stigilu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/stigilu"
    ],
    [
      "*stigilō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/stigilō"
    ],
    [
      "sty",
      "sty#English"
    ],
    [
      "-le",
      "-le#English"
    ],
    [
      "stegel",
      "stegel#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "Stegel",
      "Stegel#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "Stiegel",
      "Stiegel#German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A set of one or more steps surmounting a fence or wall, or a narrow gate or contrived passage through a fence or wall, which in either case allows people but not livestock to pass.",
        "A vertical component of a frame or panel, such as that of a door, window, or ladder."
      ],
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  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
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    "lexicalSenses": 0,
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  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

Obsolete form of style.

noun

Obsolete form of style.

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

See the etymology at style.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

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  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "style",
      "style#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "Obsolete form of style."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "obsolete"
      ],
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 290826
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Obsolete form of style."
      ],
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        "alt-of",
        "obsolete"
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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 stile →

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-c3RpbGU