An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Stute

by Friedrich Kluge

Stute, f., ‘mare,’ from MidHG. stuot, f., ‘breeding stud, mare’ (for the evolution of a collective meaning see Kamerad and Frauenzimmer), OHG. stuta, s., ‘drove of horses.’ Corresponding to AS. stôd, equiv. to E. stud, AS. stêda (E. steed), ‘stallion’; OIc. stóð, ‘stud, number of horses,’ and stedda (from *stœ́dda), f., ‘mare’; comp. also MidE. stott, ‘horse.’ ModHG. Gestüt, n., ‘stud,’ is a recent collective form. OSlov. stado, Lith. stodas, ‘drove of horses,’ are clearly related to the Teut. cognates, but they may with as good reason be regarded as loan-words; yet comp. Lith. stónè, ‘stable’ (for horses). The whole of the cognates are connected with the Aryan root stā̆, ‘to stand’ (OHG. stuota, lit. ‘stock’? ‘stable’?).