An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Stab

by Friedrich Kluge

Stab, m., ‘staff, stick, staff-officers,’ from MidHG. and OHG. stap (gen. stabes), m., ‘stick, prop. staff’; a common Teut. word, represented also by Goth. stafs (b), AS. stœf, E. staff, Du. staf (comp. also Buchstabe under Buch). Its relation to the similarly sounding OHG. vb. stabên, ‘to be stiff’) leads to an Aryan root stap, ‘to be firm,’ which is implied by Sans. sthâpay, ‘to cause to stand, erect,’ or to Aryan stabh in Lith. stábas, stóbras, ‘statue,’ ‘staff, buttress.’