stern

UK: stɜːn | US: stɜːrn

Definition

  1. adj. severe or strict in manner or attitude

  2. adj. (of a place or feature) harsh or forbidding in appearance

  3. n. the rear part of a ship or boat

Structure
stern <rear of a ship, from Old Norse stjórn>stern <strict, from Old English styrne>
Etymology

The word "stern" has two distinct origins:

  1. For the nautical meaning ("rear of a ship"), it derives from Old Norse stjórn ("steering"), linked to the rudder's placement at the ship's back.
  2. For the adjective ("strict/harsh"), it comes from Old English styrne, meaning "hard, severe," possibly related to Proto-Germanic sternjaz. Both senses evolved independently, with the strictness connotation later extending to describe unyielding landscapes or expressions.
Examples

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