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Origin and history of stagnate

stagnate(v.)

1660s, "cease to run or flow, be or become stagnant, stand without current," from Latin stagnatum, stagnatus, past participle of stagnare "to stagnate," from stagnatum "standing water, pond, swamp," perhaps from a PIE root *stag- "to seep drip" (source also of Greek stazein "to ooze, drip;" see stalactite). The figurative sense of "cease to be brisk or active" is by 1709. Related: Stagnated; stagnating.

also from 1660s

Entries linking to stagnate

stalactite(n.)

"hanging formation of carbonite of lime from the roof of a cave," 1670s, Englished from Modern Latin stalactites (used 1654 by Olaus Wormius), from Greek stalaktos "dripping, oozing out in drops," from stalassein "to trickle, drip, shed drops," from PIE root *stag- "to seep, drip, drop" (source also of German stallen, Lithuanian telžiu, telžti "to urinate"). But Beekes finds the proposed PIE root "not very convincing" on limited distribution and vague semantics. Also see noun suffix -ite (1). Related: Stalactic; stalactical; stalactitic; stalactiform.

stagnant(adj.)

1660s, of water or other liquid, "standing, motionless;" hence also figurative, "sluggish, inert, inactive," from French stagnant (early 17c.), from Latin stagnantem (nominative stagnans), present participle of stagnare "to stagnate" (see stagnate). Related: Stagnancy (1650s); stagnantly.

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stanch
"to stop the flow of" (especially of blood), early 14c., staunchen, "cause cessation of bleeding," from Old French estanchier "cause to cease flowing (of blood), stop, hinder; extinguish (of fire); tire, exhaust, drain" (Modern French étancher), from Vulgar Latin *stancare, which
idle
Old English idel "empty, void; vain; worthless, useless," from Proto-West Germanic *idla- (source also of Old Saxon idal, Old Frisian idel "empty, worthless," Old Dutch idil, Old High German ital, German eitel "vain, useless, mere, pure"), a word of unknown origin. Subsequent dev
slug
"shell-less land snail," 1704, originally "lazy person, slow, heavy fellow" (early 15c.) and related to sluggard. It was extended from persons to slow-moving animals by 1610s, and from the snails to similar soft-bodied creatures...."heavy piece of crude metal for firing from a gu
loll
mid-14c., lollen "to lounge idly, hang loosely;" late 14c., "rest at ease" (intransitive), a word of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Middle Dutch lollen "to doze, mumble," or somehow imitative of rocking or swinging. Specifically of the tongue from 1610s. Also in extended fo
change
c. 1200, "to alter, make different, change" (transitive); early 13c. as "to substitute one for another;" mid-13c. as "to make (something) other than what it was, cause to turn or pass from one state to another;" from late 13c. as "to become different, be altered" (intransitive),
work
Old English weorc, worc "something done, discrete act performed by someone, action (whether voluntary or required), proceeding, business; that which is made or manufactured, products of labor," also "physical labor, toil; skilled trade, craft, or occupation; opportunity of expend
be
Old English beon, beom, bion "be, exist, come to be, become, happen," from Proto-Germanic *biju- "I am, I will be." This "b-root" is from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow," and in addition to the words in English it yielded the German present first and second person singular
moon
"heavenly body which revolves about the earth monthly," Middle English mone, from Old English mona, from Proto-Germanic *menon- (source also of Old Saxon and Old High German mano, Old Frisian mona, Old Norse mani, Danish maane, Dutch maan, German Mond, Gothic mena "moon"), from P
zeal
"passionate ardor in pursuit of an objective or course of action," late 14c., from Old French zel (Modern French zèle) and directly from Late Latin zelus "zeal, emulation" (source also of Italian zelo, Spanish celo), a Church word, from Greek zēlos "ardor, eager rivalry, emulatio
loaf
late 13c., from Old English hlaf "a portion of bread baked in a mass of definite form," from Proto-Germanic *khlaibuz, the common Germanic word for "bread" (source also of Old Norse hleifr, Swedish lev, Old Frisian hlef, Old High German hleib, German Laib, Gothic hlaifs "bread, l

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