An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Stein

by Friedrich Kluge

Stein, masculine, ‘stone,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German stein, masculine; corresponding to Gothic stains, Old Icelandic steinn, Anglo-Saxon stân, English stone (to which English dialectic steen, ‘stone vessel,’ from Anglo-Saxon stœ̂ne, ‘pitcher’ is allied; compare Old High German steinna, ‘pitcher’), Dutch steen, Old Saxon stên. The common Teutonic staino- is related pre-historically to Old Slovenian stěna, ‘wall’ (stĕnĭnŭ, ‘rocky, stony’), as well as to Greek στία, στῖον, ‘pebble.’ —