Stay

Morpheme

Stay

Type

free base

Denotation

secure, support, strong rope used to support a mast

Etymology

(1) Early Modern English staien; Old French estaiier, from estaie and/or (2) Middle English stai; Anglo-Norman estai; Old English stæg

Evidence

backstay, bobstay, forestay, jackstay, mainstay, stay, staybolt, stayed, stayer, staying, staylace, stayless, staymaker, stays, staysail, unstayed

Homographs

Stay