stud
/stʌd/
noun
Origin
Old English
studu — post, prop, pillar
Overview
Meaning Now
- A large-headed nail, bolt, or knob used for ornament or reinforcement.
- An adult male horse kept for breeding.
- A sexually attractive, virile, or promiscuous man.
Literal older meaning
post, prop, or support
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Modern English
Earliest form
studu
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The term originated as a architectural term for a vertical post. In Middle English, the concept of a 'stud-fold'—a fenced enclosure for breeding horses—led to the term being applied specifically to the animals kept there, eventually narrowing to the male breeding horse.
Evolution
- Old English
studu
“a post or support”
- Middle English
stod
“a pillar or vertical beam”
- Late Middle English
stud
“a breeding horse”
Sense derived from the grouping of horses in a fenced enclosure (stud-fold).
- 19th Century English
stud
“a vigorous or promiscuous man”
Derived from the animal breeding sense.
Connections
Word parts
stud
root
post or support
Related across languages
Old Norse
stoð
a support or post
German
Stütze
a support
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Related to stud
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.