Etymology
1. O.E.
steppan (Anglian),
stæppan (W.Saxon) "take a step," from W.Gmc.
*stap- "tread" (cf. O.Fris., M.Du., Du.
stap, O.H.G.
stapfo, Ger.
stapfe "footstep"), from PIE base
*stebh- "to tread, step" (cf. O.C.S.
stopa "step, pace,"
stepeni "step, degree"). Originally strong (p.t.
stop, pp.
bestapen); weak forms emerged 13c., universal from 16c.
Stepping stone first recorded c.1325; in the figurative sense 1653.
Step on it "hurry up" is 1923, from notion of gas pedal;
step out (v.) is from 1907.
2. Etymology tree
3. Proto-Germanic *stapjaną
4. Proto-West Germanic *stappjan
5. Old English stæppan
6. Middle English steppen
7. English step
8. From Middle English steppen, from Old English steppan (“to step, go, proceed, advance”), stepe (“step”), from Proto-West Germanic *stappjan, from Proto-Germanic *stapjaną (“to step”), *stapiz (“step”), from Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- (“to support, stomp, curse, be amazed”).
9. Cognate with West Frisian stappe (“to step”), North Frisian stape (“to walk, trudge”), Dutch stappen (“to step, walk”), Walloon steper (“to walk away, leave”), German stapfen (“to trudge, stomp, plod”) and further to Slavic Polish stąpać (“to stomp, stamp, step, tread”), Russian ступать (stupatʹ) and Polish stopień (“step, stair, rung, degree”), Russian степень (stepenʹ). Related to stamp, stomp. See: Middle English '
steppen', Old English '
steppan', Proto-Germanic '
*stapjaną', Frisian, Northern 'stape', Dutch '
stappen', Wallon 'steper', German, old spelling '
stapfen', Polish '
stąpać', Russian '
ступать'.
Verbs referencing "step"
Dutch
stappen, German, old spelling
stapfen, Polish
stąpać.