sternyoudaoicibaDictYouDict[stern 词源字典]
stern: English has two distinct words stern. The older, the adjective ‘severe’ [OE], comes from a prehistoric Germanic *sternjaz, which was probably derived from the base *ster-, *star- ‘be rigid’ (source also of English starch, stare, starve, etc). Stern ‘rear of a vessel’ [13] is etymologically the ‘steering’ end of a ship. The word was probably borrowed from Old Norse stjórn ‘steering’, a derivative of the same base as produced stýra ‘steer’ (source of English steer).
=> starch, stare, starve, stereo, stork; steer[stern etymology, stern origin, 英语词源]
stern (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
Old English styrne "severe, strict, grave, hard, cruel," from Proto-Germanic *sternijaz (cognates: Middle High German sterre, German starr "stiff," störrig "obstinate;" Gothic andstaurran "to be stiff;" Old Norse stara; Old English starian "to look or gaze upon"), from PIE root *ster- (1) "rigid, stiff" (see stereo-). Related: Sternly; sternness.
stern (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
early 13c., "hind part of a ship; steering gear of a ship," probably from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse stjorn "a steering," related to or derived from styra "to guide" (see steer (v.)). Or the word may come from Old Frisian stiarne "rudder," which also is related to steer (v.). Stern-wheeler as a type of steam-boat is from 1855, American English.