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Origin and history of style

style(n.)

early 14c., stile, "writing instrument, pen, stylus; piece of written discourse, a narrative, treatise;" also "characteristic rhetorical mode of an author, manner or mode of expression," and "way of life, manner, behavior, conduct."

This is from Old French stile, estile "style, fashion, manner; a stake, pale," from Latin stilus "stake, instrument for writing, manner of writing, mode of expression," which is perhaps from the same source as stick (v.)).

The spelling of the English word was modified by influence of Greek stylos "pillar," which probably is not directly related to it etymologically.

The sense evolution seems to be from "writing tool" to "writing," to "manner of writing," to "mode of expression in writing or of a particular writer" (by early 14c. in English), then to modes of expression in other activities, then to "distinctive manner of external presentation," and to any particular mode or form (by late 18c.).

Paired with (and distinguished from) substance by 1570s. The word alone, meaning "good style," is by 1580s; as "fine appearance, dashing character," by 1807.

As "an artist's particular mode or form of skilled presentation" from 1706, later extended to athletics, etc. As "kind, sort, type" (as determined by appearance), by 1794. The meaning "distinctive or characteristic mode of dress" is from 1814.

Affixed to adjectives, "resembling or characteristic of that which is _____" by 1934; with adverbs, "in a way that is," by 1967; with nouns, "characteristic of or befitting" (as in family-style), by 1944, marked in OED as "highly colloq."

In style "according to current fashionable requirements," is by 1785.

also from early 14c.

style(v.)

c. 1500, "to address with a title;" 1560s, "give a name to," from style (n.).

The meaning "arrange in (fashionable) style," especially in reference to hair, is by 1934. The slang sense of "act or play in a showy way" is by 1974, African-American vernacular. Related: Styled; styling. Styling (n.) as "results of fashionable arrangement" is by 1959 in advertisements.

also from c. 1500

Entries linking to style

stick(v.)

Middle English stiken, from Old English stician "to pierce or puncture, to stab with a weapon; transfix; goad," also "to remain embedded, stay fixed, be fastened," from Proto-Germanic *stekanan "pierce, prick, be sharp" (source also of Old Saxon stekan, Old Frisian steka, Dutch stecken, Old High German stehhan, German stechen "to stab, prick").

This is reconstructed to be from PIE *steig- "to stick; pointed" (source also of Latin instigare "to goad," instinguere "to incite, impel;" Greek stizein "to prick, puncture," stigma "mark made by a pointed instrument;" Old Persian tigra- "sharp, pointed;" Avestan tighri- "arrow;" Lithuanian stingu, stigti "to remain in place;" Russian stegati "to quilt").

Etymologists have tried to connect this to *stegh-, reconstructed PIE root of words for sting, but Boutkan (2005) writes that the attempt has "formal problems" and the relationship "remains unclear."

Loosely, "put something where it will remain," with or without the notion of penetration. Hence the figurative sense of "remain permanently in mind" (c. 1300). The meaning "persist (in a course of action), insist upon" is mid-15c. The transitive sense of "to fasten (something) in place" is attested from late 13c. Related: Stuck; sticking.

To stick out "protrude, project" is recorded from 1560s. Slang stick around "remain" is from 1912; stick it as a rude item of advice is recorded by 1922. Sticking point, beyond which one refuses to go, is from 1956. Sticking-place, where any thing put will stay, is from 1570s; modern use generally is an echo of Shakespeare.

substance(n.)

c. 1300, substaunce, "divine part or essence" common to the persons of the Trinity;" mid-14c. in philosophy and theology, "that which exists by itself; essential nature; type or kind of thing; real or essential part;" from Old French sustance, substance "goods, possessions; nature, composition" (12c.), from Latin substantia "being, essence, material." This is from substans, present participle of substare "stand firm, stand or be under, be present," from sub "up to, under" (see sub-) + stare "to stand" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm").

Latin substantia translates Greek ousia "that which is one's own, one's substance or property; the being, essence, or nature of anything."

The figurative and general meaning "any kind of corporeal matter, stuff," is attested from mid-14c. As "material wealth, property, goods," late 14c.

The sense of "the matter of a study, discourse, etc.; content of a speech or literary work" is recorded late 14c. That of "meaning expressed by a speech or writing," as distinguished from style, form, performance, is by 1780.