Origin and history of stater

c. 1300, "English silver penny," struck from the time of Richard I, a word of much-discussed etymology. Perhaps it is from Middle English sterre (see star (n.)), according to OED "presumably" so-called for stars in the design of certain Norman coins, + diminutive suffix -ling. Starred coins were not especially common in Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Norman coinage (one variant of William's pennies had two small ones, and stars were more common on pagan Roman coins).

Middle English Compendium mentions Anglo-French esterling, sterling, variants of Old French esterlin, also Medieval Latin sterlingus, "both perh. ult. from OE ...." Another theory [Kluge] is that it derives from Old French estedre "stater" (see stater). The old derivation from Easterling is considered long exploded. The spelling has been somewhat confused with that of the Scottish town of Stirling.

The sense broadened by late 14c. to "standard lawful unit of currency;" by 1560s it was used of any money having the quality of sterling, and by c. 1600 to "English money" in general.

As an adjective by c. 1400, in reference to money, "of fixed or standard national value," and thus meeting a legally set degree of purity. This was extended by 1640s to principles, qualities, etc., in a general or figurative sense of "capable of standing a test" (as a sound coin would).

A pound sterling was originally "a pound weight of sterlings," equal to about 240 of them.

*stā-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to stand, set down, make or be firm," with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing."

It might form all or part of: Afghanistan; Anastasia; apostasy; apostate; armistice; arrest; assist; astatic; astatine; Baluchistan; bedstead; circumstance; consist; constable; constant; constitute; contrast; cost; desist; destination; destine; destitute; diastase; distance; distant; ecstasy; epistasis; epistemology; establish; estaminet; estate; etagere; existence; extant; Hindustan; histidine; histo-; histogram; histology; histone; hypostasis; insist; instant; instauration; institute; interstice; isostasy; isostatic; Kazakhstan; metastasis; obstacle; obstetric; obstinate; oust; Pakistan; peristyle; persist; post (n.1) "timber set upright;" press (v.2) "force into service;" presto; prostate; prostitute; resist; rest (v.2) "to be left, remain;" restitution; restive; restore; shtetl; solstice; stable (adj.) "secure against falling;" stable (n.) "building for domestic animals;" stage; stalag; stalwart; stamen; -stan; stance; stanchion; stand; standard; stanza; stapes; starboard; stare decisis; stasis; -stat; stat; state (n.1) "circumstances, conditions;" stater; static; station; statistics; stator; statue; stature; status; statute; staunch; (adj.) "strong, substantial;" stay (v.1) "come to a halt, remain in place;" stay (n.2) "strong rope which supports a ship's mast;" stead; steed; steer (n.) "male beef cattle;" steer (v.) "guide the course of a vehicle;" stem (n.) "trunk of a plant;" stern (n.) "hind part of a ship;" stet; stoa; stoic; stool; store; stound; stow; stud (n.1) "nailhead, knob;" stud (n.2) "horse kept for breeding;" stylite; subsist; substance; substitute; substitution; superstition; system; Taurus; understand.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit tisthati "stands;" Avestan histaiti "to stand;" Persian -stan "country," literally "where one stands;" Greek histēmi "put, place, cause to stand; weigh," stasis "a standing still," statos "placed," stylos "pillar;" Latin sistere "stand still, stop, make stand, place, produce in court," status "manner, position, condition, attitude," stare "to stand," statio "station, post;" Lithuanian stojuos "I place myself," statau "I place;" Old Church Slavonic staja "place myself," stanu "position;" Gothic standan, Old English standan "to stand," stede "place;" Old Norse steði "anvil;" Old Irish sessam "the act of standing."