stav

See also: stāv, sťav, šťav, and šťáv

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈstaf]

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *stavъ

Old Czech stav

Czech stav

Inherited from Old Czech stav, from Proto-Slavic *stavъ.

Noun

stav m inan (relational adjective stavový)

1. stance
2. state (condition)
3. (computing) state
4. (economics) state
5. loom (frame)

Declension

Declension of stav (hard masculine inanimate)

	singular	plural
nominative	stav	stavy
genitive	stavu	stavů
dative	stavu	stavům
accusative	stav	stavy
vocative	stave	stavy
locative	stavu	stavech
instrumental	stavem	stavy

Related terms

nouns

• makrostav
• mikrostav
• stáveček
• stávek
• tkalcovský stav

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

stav

1. second-person singular imperative of stavět

   Synonym: stavěj

Verb

stav

1. second-person singular imperative of stavit

Further reading

• “stav”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “stav”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “stav”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Danish

Etymology

From Old Danish staf, from Old Norse stafr, from Proto-Norse ᛋᛏᚼᛒᚼ (staba), from Proto-Germanic *stabaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsdæˀw]

Noun

stav c (singular definite staven, plural indefinite stave)

1. a staff, a rod

   Coordinate term: stave

2. a branch (used for hiking)

   Coordinate terms: kæp, stok

   1. a pole (used for skiing etc.)
3. (anatomy) a rod (rod cell in the eye)

   Coordinate term: tap

4. (sports) hockey stick

   Coordinate term: kølle

5. a weapon, baton

   Coordinate terms: knippel, stok

6. (historical) a letter (in the runic alphabet, sometimes also in the Latin alphabet)

Declension

Declension of stav

common gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	stav	staven	stave	stavene
genitive	stavs	stavens	staves	stavenes

Derived terms

Terms derived from “stav”

• bispestav
• gærdestav
• hockeystav
• hyrdestav
• jakobsstav
• krumstav
• marskalstav
• parketstav
• politistav
• runestav
• skistav
• stavblender
• stavformet
• stavgang
• stavgænger
• stavkirke
• stavlygte
• tryllestav
• tøndestav
• vandringsstav

References

• “stav” in Den Danske Ordbog

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

stav

1. imperative of stave

Derived terms

• (of noun) stavkirke
• (of noun) stavsprang

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse stafr, from Proto-Germanic *stabaz.

Noun

stav m (definite singular staven, indefinite plural stavar, definite plural stavane)

1. a staff, a rod
2. a letter (in the runic alphabet, sometimes also in the Latin alphabet)

Declension

Declension of stav (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	stav	staven	stavar	stavane
compound-genitive	―	―	―	―

Landsmål declension of stav (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	stav	staven	stavar	stavarne
dative	―	stave	―	stavom
compound-genitive	―	―	―	―

Derived terms

• bispestav
• primstav
• skistav
• stavkyrkje
• stavsprang

Related terms

• bokstav
• stava

Male given names:

• Gautstav, Gustav
• Rådstav

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stavъ.

Mathematical and musical senses are probably taken from German Satz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stâʋ/

Noun

stȁv m inan (Cyrillic spelling ста̏в)

1. posture, stance, position
2. attitude, opinion, sentiment
3. (music) movement
4. (mathematics) theorem, proposition

Declension

Declension of stav

	singular	plural
nominative	stȁv	stàvovi
genitive	stava	stavova
dative	stavu	stavovima
accusative	stav	stavove
vocative	stave	stavovi
locative	stavu	stavovima
instrumental	stavom	stavovima

Further reading

• “stav”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Slovak

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stavъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stav/, [ˈstau̯]
• Rhymes: -av

Noun

stav m inan (relational adjective stavový or stavovský)

1. state, condition, status (the set of characteristics or circumstances defining someone or something at a specific time)

   Synonyms: položenie, situácia, rozpoloženie

   Lekár potvrdil, že zdravotný stav pacienta sa po operácii výrazne zlepšil. ― The doctor confirmed that the patient's health condition significantly improved after the surgery.

2. marital status, status (the legal standing of a man or woman regarding marriage)

   Synonym: rodinný stav

   Pri vypĺňaní úradného tlačiva musíte uviesť svoje meno, adresu a stav. ― When filling out the official form, you must provide your name, address, and marital status.

3. level, count, amount, figure (data regarding the quantity or quality of something at a given time)

   V našej firme sa za posledný rok zvýšil celkový stav zamestnancov o desať percent. ― In our company, the total employee count has increased by ten percent over the last year.

4. (literary) profession, vocation, calling (a person's occupation or the group of people belonging to it)

   Synonyms: povolanie, zamestnanie

   Mladý muž sa po rokoch štúdia rozhodol zasvätiť svoj život učiteľskému stavu. ― After years of study, the young man decided to dedicate his life to the teaching profession.

5. (historical) estate, class, rank (a major social class or layer of society, especially in the past)

   Počas francúzskej revolúcie hral rozhodujúcu úlohu takzvaný tretí stav — meštianstvo. ― During the French Revolution, the so-called Third Estate — the bourgeoisie — played a decisive role.

6. (textiles, slang) loom (a machine or apparatus for weaving fabric by interlacing threads)

   Synonyms: krosná, tkáčsky stroj

   Moderný mechanický stav dokáže vyrobiť stovky metrov látky za jedinú hodinu. ― A modern mechanical loom can produce hundreds of meters of fabric in a single hour.

7. (archaic) millpond, millrace (water stopped and accumulated by a dam or weir, typically to drive a mill wheel)

   Synonym: priehrada

   Hladina v stave po prudkých dažďoch nebezpečne stúpla. ― The water level in the millpond rose dangerously after the heavy rains.

Declension

Declension of stav
(pattern dub)

	singular	plural
nominative	stav	stavy
genitive	stavu	stavov
dative	stavu	stavom
accusative	stav	stavy
locative	stave	stavoch
instrumental	stavom	stavmi

Derived terms

• stavec

Further reading

• “stav”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Swedish

Alternative forms

• staf (pre-1906 spelling)

Etymology

From Old Swedish staver, from Old Norse stafr, from Proto-Norse ᛋᛏᛡᛒᛡ (staba), from Proto-Germanic *stabaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stɑːv/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

stav c

1. a staff, a rod
2. a pole (mostly of ski poles and poles used for jumping)

   Sysslar man med t.ex. stavhopp eller skidåkning så håller man i stavar.

   If you're someone who practices for example pole vaulting or skiing, you're holding (ski) poles.

3. (anatomy) a rod (rod cell in the eye)
4. (sports) pole vault

   Synonym: stavhopp

5. a letter (in the runic alphabet, sometimes also in the Latin alphabet)

Declension

Declension of stav

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	stav	stavs
	definite	staven	stavens
plural	indefinite	stavar	stavars
	definite	stavarna	stavarnas

Derived terms

• biskopsstav
• bokstav
• marskalkstav
• mixerstav
• pilgrimsstav
• skidstav
• stava
• stavelse
• -stavig
• stavrim
• stäva
• trollstav

See also

• truga

References

• “stav”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “stav”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “stav”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• stav in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)