English Explanatory Dictionary

sty

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A pen or enclosure for swine.
  2. A messy, dirty or debauched place.
verb
  1. To place in, or as if in, a sty.
  2. To live in a sty, or any messy or dirty place.
verb
  1. To ascend, rise up, climb.
noun
  1. A ladder.
noun
  1. An inflammation of the eyelid.

Pronunciation

/staɪ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sty.wav

Word forms

sty sties stye stying stied stee stie stigh

Etymology

From Middle English sty, from Old English stī, stiġ (“sty, pen, a wooden enclosure; hall”, chiefly in compounds). Cognate with German Stiege (“wooden crate”), dialectal German Steige (“hen-coop”), Danish sti (“sty, enclosure for swine, sheep, hens, etc.”), Swedish stia (“sty for pigs, geese, etc.”), Norwegian sti (“flock of sheep”), Icelandic stía (“a kennel”).

Synonyms

pigpen pigsty hovel

Related words

stile

Derived words

hogsty steward styful styless stylike swinesty throw an ant into a sty styan styey stirrup
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