sty

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural sties also styes
: pigpen

sty

2 of 3

verb

stied or styed; stying

transitive verb

: to lodge or keep in a sty

intransitive verb

: to live in a sty

sty

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or stye
plural sties or styes
: an inflamed swelling of a sebaceous gland at the margin of an eyelid

Examples of sty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The designation will bring international recognition to the sties, which aren’t well known even to many Ohioans. Susan Glaser, cleveland, 19 Sep. 2023 We're admittedly smitten with this stage-to-sty story, which is apparently a sequel. Country Living, 7 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English stig pen; pigpen; akin to Old Norse svīnsti pigpen

Noun (2)

short for obsolete English styan, from Middle English styanye eye with a sty, from Old English stīgend sty, from stīgan to go up, rise — more at stair

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

1617, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sty was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sty

Cite this Entry

“Sty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sty. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sty

1 of 2 noun
plural sties also styes
: pigpen

sty

2 of 2 noun
variants or stye
ˈstī
plural sties or styes
: a painful red swelling of a skin gland on the edge of an eyelid
Etymology

Noun

Old English stig "a pen for swine"

Noun

a shortened form of obsolete styan "a painful swelling of a gland on the edge of the eyelid," from Old English stīgend (same meaning), from stīgan "to rise up"

Medical Definition

sty

noun
variants or stye
plural sties or styes
: an inflamed swelling of a sebaceous gland at the margin of an eyelid

called also hordeolum

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