steven

Meaning

Noun

• Voice, especially when loud or strong.
• Request, petition, prayer, or command.
• A time, occasion.

Origin

• From Middle English steven ("voice, command, constitution"), from Old English stefn ("voice"), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō ("voice"), earlier *stemnā, derived from Proto-Indo-European *stómn̥ ("mouth, muzzle; (originally) hole?"). Cognate with Old Frisian stifne, stemme, Old Saxon stemna ("voice") (Dutch stem), Old High German stimma, stimna (German Stimme), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌽𐌰 ("voice"), and more distantly Ancient Greek στόμα ("mouth"), Avestan 𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬨𐬀𐬥 ("maw"), and possibly Hittite 𒅖𒋫𒈪𒈾𒀸. See also stevvon. Displaced by voice.
• From Middle English steven ("appointment"), from Old English stefn ("a time, turn, tour of duty"), from Proto-Germanic *stabnijaz, *stabnijô, from Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- ("a stake, post; to support, stamp, insist, become angry"). Cognate with Middle Low German stevene ("a court appointment"), Old Norse stefna ("appointment, meeting"). More at staff.