Etymograph

English

solstice

Solstice comes from Latin sōlstitium ‘summer solstice’, from sistō ‘to cause to stand’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-1‘to stand (up)’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stísteh₂ti1‘to be standing up, to be getting up’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sistō1‘to stand’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsistō1‘to cause to stand’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsōlstitium1‘summer solstice’
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400solstice1
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500solstice1
  8. Englishearliest quotation 2010solstice1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English solstice
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2010, Capt Sp Meek: “The point at which the sun is nearest to…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-Wiktionary, English solstice‘to stand (up)’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stísteh₂tiWiktionary, English solstice‘to be standing up, to be getting up’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sistōWiktionary, English solstice‘to stand’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsistōWiktionary, English solstice‘to cause to stand’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsōlstitiumWiktionary, English solstice‘summer solstice’
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400solsticeWiktionary, English solstice
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500solsticeWiktionary, English solstice
  8. Englishearliest quotation 2010solsticeWiktionary, English solstice. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2010, Capt Sp Meek: “The point at which the sun is nearest to…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’

state, post, stay, rest, stand, distance, stadium, stood, contest, establish, stable, constitution, instance, instant, stability, stem, distant, destination, substance, testimony, destiny, stud, prostitution, stationary, prostitute, extant, stale, stamina, substitution, stool, distal, attest, stead, astute, stow, stasis, testimonial, destitute, stalwart, oust, 140 more

through Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti ‘to be standing up, to be getting up’

system, consistent, static, histone, stater, 33 more

through Latin sistō ‘to cause to stand’

assistant, assistance, assist, resist, insist, consist, persistent, persist, desist, subsistence, armistice, existentialist, 6 more

Today it means

noun One of the two points in the ecliptic at which the sun is furthest from the celestial equator. This corresponds to one of two days in the year when the day is either longest or shortest.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “solstice”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- / solstice

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