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stole 1 (stōl)
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n.
1. Ecclesiastical A long scarf, usually of embroidered silk or linen, worn over the left shoulder by deacons and over both shoulders by priests and bishops while officiating.
2. An ornamental garment worn over both shoulders and tapering to a point in front and in back, worn especially by members of church choirs or as a part of academic dress.
3. A long scarf of cloth or fur worn about the shoulders.
4. A long robe or outer garment worn by matrons in ancient Rome.
[Middle English, from Old English, from Latin stola, garment, robe, from Greek stolē; see stel- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
(click for a larger image)
stole1
red ecclesiastical stole
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
stole 2 (stōl)
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v.
Past tense of steal.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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