Stern meaning
Hard, harsh, or severe in manner or character.
A stern disciplinarian.
adjective
(nautical) The rear part of a ship or boat.
noun
The stern is defined as the rear of anything.
An example of stern is the back of a boat.
noun
Showing or expressing displeasure or disapproval; forbidding or harsh.
A stern face; a stern voice.
adjective
Firm or unyielding; uncompromising.
Stern resistance.
adjective
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The definition of stern is someone who is very serious or strict.
An example of stern is a teacher when he is scolding a student.
adjective
Difficult to endure; oppressive.
Stern necessity.
adjective
Unshakable; firm.
Stern determination.
adjective
Relentless; inexorable.
Stern reality.
adjective
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The rear end of a ship or boat.
noun
The rear end of anything.
noun
(person) 1920-2001; U.S. violinist, born in Russia.
proper name
(person) 1888-1969; U.S. physicist, born in Germany.
proper name
(figuratively) The post of management or direction.
noun
A bird, the black tern.
noun
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A rear part or section.
noun
Hard; severe; unyielding; strict.
Stern measures.
adjective
Grim; forbidding.
A stern face.
adjective
Origin of stern
- Middle English sterne perhaps of Scandinavian origin Old Norse stjōrn rudder stā- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Middle English sterne from Old English styrne ster-1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English stern, sterne, sturne, from Old English styrne (“stern, grave, strict, austere, hard, severe, cruel"), from Proto-Germanic *sturnijaz (“angry, astonished, shocked"), from Proto-Indo-European *ster-, *ter- (“rigid, stiff"). Cognate with Scots stern (“bold, courageous, fierce, resolute"), Old High German stornÄ“n (“to be astonished"), Dutch stuurs (“glum, austere"), Swedish stursk (“insolent").
From Wiktionary
- Most likely from Old Norse stjórn (“control, steering"), related to stýra (“to steer"), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijanÄ…, whence also English steer. Also possibly from Old Frisian stiarne (“rudder"), from the same Germanic root.
From Wiktionary
- Old English
From Wiktionary