stitch

US /ˈstɪtʃ/ UK /stɪt͡ʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #8280

Meanings

1

noun
One of the loops or lines of thread made when sewing or knitting.

She knitted the scarf with neat, even stitches.
2

noun
A sudden sharp pain in the side, usually caused by running or laughing.

I've got a stitch, so I need to stop and rest.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms stitchedstitchesstitching

Derived forms backstitchblanket-stitchbread-stitchbrede-stitchcatchstitchcatstitchcoverstitchcross-stitchedgestitchfeatherstitchhemstitchinterstitch

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

a stitch in time saves nine
Fixing a small problem early prevents a much bigger one later.

Simplified etymology

Stitch is an Old English word related to stick. It originally denoted any sharp, stabbing pain; its sewing sense developed during the Middle Ages.

Etymology

From Middle English stiche, from Old English stiċe (“a prick, puncture, stab, thrust with a pointed implement, pricking sensation, stitch, pain in the side, sting”), from Proto-West Germanic *stiki, from Proto-Germanic *stikiz (“prick, piercing, stitch”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to stab, pierce”). Cognate with Dutch steek (“prick, stitch”), German Stich (“a prick, piercing, stitch”), Old English stician (“to stick, stab, pierce, prick”). More at stick. Via PIE cognate with Czech steh, Polish ścieg, Russian стежо́к (stežók).

*(s)teyg- Proto-Indo-European stiche Middle English stiċe Old English *stiki Proto-West Germanic *stikiz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# stitch

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈstɪtʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /stɪt͡ʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 8280

## Meanings
1. One of the loops or lines of thread made when sewing or knitting.
2. A sudden sharp pain in the side, usually caused by running or laughing.

## Examples
- She knitted the scarf with neat, even stitches.
- I've got a stitch, so I need to stop and rest.

## Derived Forms
- backstitch
- blanket-stitch
- bread-stitch
- brede-stitch
- catchstitch
- catstitch
- coverstitch
- cross-stitch
- edgestitch
- featherstitch
- hemstitch
- interstitch

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)teyg-
- Root: stiche
- Root: stiċe
- Root: *stiki
- Root: *stikiz

## Etymology
From Middle English stiche, from Old English stiċe (“a prick, puncture, stab, thrust with a pointed implement, pricking sensation, stitch, pain in the side, sting”), from Proto-West Germanic *stiki, from Proto-Germanic *stikiz (“prick, piercing, stitch”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to stab, pierce”). Cognate with Dutch steek (“prick, stitch”), German Stich (“a prick, piercing, stitch”), Old English stician (“to stick, stab, pierce, prick”). More at stick. Via PIE cognate with Czech steh, Polish ścieg, Russian стежо́к (stežók).

## AI Etymology
Stitch is from Middle English stiche, from Old English stiċe (“a prick, puncture, stab, thrust with a pointed implement, pricking sensation, stitch, pain in the side, sting”), from Proto-West Germanic *stiki, from Proto-Germanic *stikiz (“prick, piercing, stitch”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to stab, pierce”). Cognate with Dutch steek (“prick, stitch”), German Stich (“a prick, piercing, stitch”), Old English stician (“to stick, stab, pierce, prick”). More at stick. Via PIE cognate with Czech steh, Polish ścieg, Russian стежо́к (stežók).

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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