steer

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /stɪɹ/ UK /stɪə/ See IPA manual

Freq #7425

Meanings

1

verb
To control the direction of a vehicle, boat, or aircraft.

She steered the car carefully around the corner.
2

verb
To guide a person or situation in a particular direction.

The teacher steered the students toward more challenging courses.
3

noun
A piece of advice about what to do.

Thanks for the steer, I'll look into that company.
4

noun
A male animal of the cattle family raised for beef.

The farmer sold several steers at the market.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to guide a person or... guide

4 noun · a male animal of the cattle... ox

Word family

Forms steeredsteerersteersunsteered

Derived forms autosteerbesteercountersteermissteeroutsteeroversteerresteerskidsteerstarboardsteerabilitysteerablesteerage

Related forms starboard

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

steer clear
to keep away from someone or something likely to cause trouble

Verb + adverb

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English steeren, steren, stiren, sturen, steoren, from Old English stēoran, stīeran, stȳran (“to steer; guide a vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic *stiurijan (“to steer”), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijaną (“to steer”). The noun is from Middle English steere, stere (“rudder”), steor, from Old English stēor, stȳr (“steering; guidance; direction”). Compare Dutch stuur, German Steuer, Icelandic stýri.

steeren Middle English stēoran Old English *stiurijan Proto-West Germanic *stiurijaną Proto-Germanic steere Middle English stēor Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# steer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /stɪɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /stɪə/
**Frequency rank:** 7425

## Meanings
1. To control the direction of a vehicle, boat, or aircraft.
2. To guide a person or situation in a particular direction.
3. A piece of advice about what to do.
4. A male animal of the cattle family raised for beef.

## Examples
- She steered the car carefully around the corner.
- The teacher steered the students toward more challenging courses.
- Thanks for the steer, I'll look into that company.
- The farmer sold several steers at the market.

## Derived Forms
- autosteer
- besteer
- countersteer
- missteer
- outsteer
- oversteer
- resteer
- skidsteer
- starboard
- steerability
- steerable
- steerage

## Related Forms
- starboard

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: steeren
- Root: stēoran
- Root: *stiurijan
- Root: *stiurijaną
- Root: steere
- Root: stēor

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English steeren, steren, stiren, sturen, steoren, from Old English stēoran, stīeran, stȳran (“to steer; guide a vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic *stiurijan (“to steer”), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijaną (“to steer”). The noun is from Middle English steere, stere (“rudder”), steor, from Old English stēor, stȳr (“steering; guidance; direction”). Compare Dutch stuur, German Steuer, Icelandic stýri.

## AI Etymology
Steer is inherited from Middle English steeren, steren, stiren, sturen, steoren, from Old English stēoran, stīeran, stȳran (“to steer; guide a vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic *stiurijan (“to steer”), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijaną (“to steer”). The noun is from Middle English steere, stere (“rudder”), steor, from Old English stēor, stȳr (“steering; guidance; direction”). Compare Dutch stuur, German Steuer, Icelandic stýri.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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