standing
/ˈstændɪŋ/
adjective
Origin
Old English
standan — to stand
Overview
Meaning Now
- Having a permanent or established status or duration.
- Remaining in an upright, vertical position.
- Still existing or functioning; not demolished or abolished.
Literal older meaning
The act or state of being in an upright position.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
standende
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The term stems from the West Germanic verb for 'to stand'. Over time, the present participle form evolved from describing a physical posture to denoting the status or duration of something, such as a 'standing order' or a 'standing committee'.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*stā-
“to stand”
- Proto-Germanic
*standaną
“to stand”
- Old English
standende
“standing”
Present participle of 'standan'.
- Middle English
standynge
“upright or established”
- Modern English
standing
“permanent or upright”
Connections
Word parts
stand
root
to be in an upright position
ing
suffix
forming a participle or adjective
Related across languages
German
stehend
standing
Dutch
staand
standing
Related words
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Related to standing
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.