Online Etymology Dictionary

squirt (n.): late 14c., "diarrhea," from squirt (v.). Meaning "jet of liquid" is from 1620s. Meaning "a whipper-snapper" is from 1839.
squish (v.): 1640s, probably a variant of squash (v.), perhaps by influence of obsolete squiss "to squeeze or crush" (1550s). Related: Squished; squishing.
squishy (adj.): 1847, from squish + -y (2). Related: Squishily; squishiness.
squiz (v.): "to look at," 1916, Australian, perhaps a blend of squint and quiz.
Sri Lanka: large island southeast of India (known in English until 1972 as Ceylon), from Lanka, older name for the island and its chief city, + Sanskrit sri "beauty" (especially of divinities, kings, heroes, etc.), also an honorific prefix to proper names, from PIE root *kreie- "to be outstanding, brilliant, masterly, beautiful," found in Greek (kreon "lord, master") and Indo-Iranian.
SRO: 1941, initialism (acronym) for standing room only.
SSR: 1926, from Russian, initialism (acronym) for Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika "Soviet Socialist Republic."
stab (v.): late 14c., "thrust with a pointed weapon," first in Scottish English, apparently a dialectal variant of Scottish stob "to pierce, stab," from stob (n.), perhaps a variant of stub (n.) "stake, nail," but Barnhart finds this "doubtful." Figurative use, of emotions, etc., is from 1590s. Related: Stabbed; stabbing.
stab (n.): "wound produced by stabbing," mid-15c., from stab (v.). Meaning "act of stabbing" is from 1520s. Meaning "a try" first recorded 1895, American English. Stab in the back in the figurative sense "treacherous deed" is first attested 1881; the verbal phrase in the figurative sense is from 1888.
Stabat Mater: Latin Stabat Mater dolorosa "Stood the Mother (of Jesus) full of sorrow," opening words of a sequence composed 13c. by Jacobus de Benedictis.
stability (n.): mid-14c., "firmness of resolve, mental equilibrium" (of persons), from Old French stablete, establete "firmness, solidity, stability; durability, constancy" (Modern French stabilité), from Latin stabilitatem (nominative stabilitas) "a standing fast, firmness," figuratively "security, steadfastness," from stabilis "steadfast, firm" (see stable (adj.)). In physical sense, "state of being difficult to overthrow, power of remaining upright," it is recorded from early 15c. Meaning "continuance in the same state" is from 1540s.
stabilization (n.): 1881, noun of action from stabilize.
stabilize (v.): 1861, originally of ships; probably a back-formation from stability, or else from French stabiliser. Related: Stabilized; stabilizing. Earlier verbs in the same sense were stabilitate (1640s) and simple stable (v.) "make steady or firm, make stable" (c. 1300), from Old French establir.
stabilizer (n.): 1909 in aeronautical sense, agent noun from stabilize (v.).
stable (n.): early 13c., "building or enclosure where horses or cows are kept, building for domestic animals," from Old French stable, estable "a stable, stall" (Modern French étable), also applied to cowsheds and pigsties, from Latin stabulum "a stall, fold, aviary, beehive, lowly cottage, brothel, etc.," literally "a standing place," from PIE *ste-dhlo-, suffixed form of root *stā- "to stand" (see stet).

Meaning "collection of horses belonging to one stable" is attested from 1570s; transferred sense of "group of fighters under same management" is from 1897; that of "group of prostitutes working for the same employer" is from 1937.
For what the grete Stiede
Is stole, thanne he taketh hiede,
And makth the stable dore fast.
[John Gower, "Confessio Amantis," 1390]
stable (adj.): mid-12c., "trustworthy, reliable;" mid-13c., "constant, steadfast; virtuous;" from Old French stable, estable "constant, steadfast, unchanging," from Latin stabilis "firm, steadfast, stable, fixed," figuratively "durable, unwavering," literally "able to stand," from PIE *ste-dhli-, from root *stā- "to stand" (see stet). From c. 1300 as "well-founded, well-established, secure" (of governments, etc.). Physical sense of "secure against falling" is recorded from late 14c.; also "of even temperament." Of nuclear isotopes, from 1904.
stable (v.): "to put in a certain place or position," c. 1300; "to put (a horse) in a stable," early 14c., from stable (n.) or from Old French establer. Related: Stabled; stabling.
stable-boy (n.): 1729, from stable (n.) + boy (n.).
staccato (adj.): 1724, from Italian staccato, literally "detached, disconnected," past participle of staccare "to detach," shortened form of distaccare "separate, detach," from Middle French destacher, from Old French destachier "to detach" (see detach). As an adverb from 1844. Related: Staccatissimo.
stack (n.): c. 1300, "pile, heap, or group of things," from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse stakkr "haystack" (cognate with Danish stak, Swedish stack "heap, stack"), from Proto-Germanic *stakon- "a stake," from PIE *stog- (source also of Old Church Slavonic stogu "heap," Russian stog "haystack," Lithuanian stokas "pillar"), variant of root *steg- (1) "pole, stick" (see stake (n.)). Meaning "set of shelves on which books are set out" is from 1879. Used of the chimneys of factories, locomotives, etc., since 1825. Of computer data from 1960.
stack (v.): early 14c., "to pile up (grain) into a stack," from stack (n.). Meaning "arrange (a deck of cards) unfairly" (in stack the deck) is first recorded 1825. Stack up "compare against" is 1903, from notion of piles of poker chips (1896). Of aircraft waiting to land, from 1941. Related: Stacked; Stacking.
stacked (adj.): 1796, of hay, past participle adjective from stack (v.). Of women, "well-built physically; curved in a way considered sexually desirable," 1942.
stadium (n.): late 14c., "a foot race; an ancient measure of length," from Latin stadium "a measure of length; a course for foot-racers" (commonly one-eighth of a Roman mile or a little over 600 English feet; translated in early English Bibles by furlong), from Greek stadion "a measure of length; a race-course, a running track," especially the track at Olympia, which was one stadion in length. The meaning "running track," recorded in English from c. 1600, was extended to mean in modern-day context "large, open oval structure with tiers of seats for viewing sporting events" (1834).

"Originally the distance between successive stations of the shouters and runners employed to estimate distances" [Century Dictionary]. According to Barnhart, the Greek word might literally mean "fixed standard of length" (from stadios "firm, fixed," from PIE root *sta- "to stand"), or it may be from spadion, from span "to draw up, pull," with form influenced by stadios.
staff (n.): Old English stæf (plural stafas), "walking stick, strong pole used for carrying, rod used as a weapon, pastoral staff," probably originally *stæb, from Proto-Germanic *stabaz (source also of Old Saxon staf, Old Norse stafr, Danish stav, Old Frisian stef, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch staf, Old High German stab, German Stab, Gothic *stafs "element;" Middle Dutch stapel "pillar, foundation"), from PIE root *stebh- "post, stem, to support, place firmly on, fasten" (source also of Old Lithuanian stabas "idol," Lithuanian stebas "staff, pillar;" Old Church Slavonic stoboru "pillar;" Sanskrit stabhnati "supports;" Greek stephein "to tie around, encircle, wreathe," staphyle "grapevine, bunch of grapes;" Old English stapol "post, pillar").

As "pole from which a flag is flown," 1610s. In musical notation from 1660s. Sense of "group of military officers that assists a commander" is attested from 1702, apparently from German, from the notion of the "baton" that is a badge of office or authority (a sense attested in English from 1530s); hence staff officer (1702), staff-sergeant (1811). Meaning "group of employees (as at an office or hospital)" is first found 1837. Staff of life "bread" is from the Biblical phrase break the staff of bread meaning "cut off the supply of food" (Lev. xxvi:26), translating Hebrew matteh lekhem.

The Old English word, in plural, was the common one used for "letter of the alphabet, character," hence "writing, literature," and many compounds having to do with writing, such as stæfcræft "grammar," stæfcræftig "lettered," stæflic "literary," stæfleahtor "grammatical error," with leahtor "vice, sin, offense."
staff (v.): "to provide with a staff of assistants," 1859, from staff (n.). Related: Staffed; staffing.
staffer (n.): "staff-writer," 1949, in journalism, from staff-writer (1878); from staff (n.) in the "group of employees" sense.
Stafford: city in England, mid-11c., Stæfford, literally "ford by a landing-place," from Old English stæð "river bank, shore" + ford (n.). County town of Staffordshire, which, as a name for a type of earthenware and porcelain made there is attested from 1765. The city was noted in medieval England as a source of blue cloth.
stag (n.): late 12c., probably from Old English stagga "a stag," from Proto-Germanic *stag-, from PIE *stegh- "to prick, sting" (see sting (v.)). The Old Norse equivalent was used of male foxes, tomcats, and dragons; and the Germanic root word perhaps originally meant "male animal in its prime." Meaning "pertaining to or composed of males only" (stag party) is American English slang from 1848. Stag film "pornographic movie" is attested from 1968. Stag beetle, so called for its" horns," is from 1680s.
stage (n.): mid-13c., "story of a building;" early 14c., "raised platform used for public display" (also "the platform beneath the gallows"), from Old French estage "building, dwelling place; stage for performance; phase, stage, rest in a journey" (12c., Modern French étage "story of a house, stage, floor, loft"), from Vulgar Latin *staticum "a place for standing," from Latin statum, past participle of stare "to stand," from PIE root *stā- "to stand, set down, make or be firm" (see stet). Meaning "platform for presentation of a play" is attested from late 14c.; generalized for "profession of an actor" from 1580s.

Sense of "period of development or time in life" first recorded early 14c., probably from Middle English sense of "degree or step on the 'ladder' of virtue, 'wheel' of fortune, etc.," in parable illustrations and morality plays. Meaning "a step in sequence, a stage of a journey" is late 14c. Meaning "level of water in a river, etc." is from 1814, American English.

Stage-name is from 1727. Stage-mother (n.) in the overbearing mother-of-an-actress sense is from 1915. Stage-door is from 1761, hence Stage-Door Johnny "young man who frequents stage doors seeking the company of actresses, chorus girls, etc." (1907). Stage whisper, such as used by an actor on stage to be heard by the audience, first attested 1865. Stage-manage (v.) is from 1871.
stage (v.): early 14c., "to erect, construct," from stage (n.). The meaning "put into a play" is from c. 1600; that of "put (a play) on the stage" first recorded 1879; general sense of "to mount" (a comeback, etc.) is attested from 1924. Related: Staged; staging.
stage-fright (n.): 1826, from stage (n.) + fright (n.).
stage-hand (n.): 1865, from stage (n.) + hand (n.).
stage-struck (adj.): "possessed by a passionate desire to perform on stage," 1813, from stage (n.) + past participle adjective from strike (v.). Earlier was stage-smitten (1680s).
stagecoach (n.): also stage-coach, 1650s, from stage (n.) in a sense of "division of a journey without stopping for rest" (c. 1600) + coach (n.).
stagecraft (n.): also stage-craft, 1848, from stage (n.) + craft (n.).
staged (adj.): 1560s, "appearing on a stage," past participle adjective from stage (v.). Meaning "proceeding in stages" is from 1960.
stagflation (n.): 1965, apparently coined by U.K. politician Iain Macleod (1913-1970), from stag(nation) + (in)flation.
Attacking the Government's economic policy last night in the House of Commons, Mr. Iain Macleod (West Enfield - Con.) the Opposition spokesman on Treasury and economic affairs, described the present situation in Britain as "stagflation" -- stagnation and inflation together. ["Glasgow Herald," Nov. 18, 1965]
staggard (n.): "stag in its fourth year," thus not quite full-grown, c. 1400, from stag + -ard.
stagger (v.): mid-15c., "walk unsteadily, reel" (intransitive), altered from stakeren (early 14c.), from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Danish stagra, Old Norse stakra "to push, shove, cause to reel," also "to stumble, stagger," perhaps literally "hit with a stick," from Proto-Germanic *stakon- "a stake," from PIE *steg- (1) "pole, stick." Cognate with Dutch staggelen "to stagger," German staggeln "to stammer." Transitive sense of "bewilder, amaze" first recorded 1550s; that of "arrange in a zig-zag pattern" is from 1856. Related: Staggered; staggering.
staggering (adj.): "amazing," 1560s, figurative present participle adjective from stagger (v.). Related: Staggeringly.
staging (n.): "temporary structure or support," early 14c., verbal noun from stage (v.). As an adjective to designate "stopping place or assembly point," 1945.
stagnant (adj.): 1660s, from French stagnant (early 17c.), from Latin stagnantem (nominative stagnans), present participle of stagnare "to stagnate" (see stagnate). Related: Stagnancy (1650s); stagnantly.
stagnate (v.): 1660s, from Latin stagnatum, stagnatus, past participle of stagnare "to stagnate," from stagnatum "standing water, pond, swamp," perhaps from a PIE root *stag- "to seep drip" (source also of Greek stazein "to ooze, drip;" see stalactite). Figurative use by 1709. Related: Stagnated; stagnating.
stagnation (n.): 1660s, noun of action from stagnate (v.).
stagy (adj.): also stagey, 1845, from stage (n.) in the theatrical sense + -y (2). Related: Staginess.
staid (adj.): 1540s, "fixed, permanent," adjectival use of stayed, past participle of stay (v.). Meaning "sober, sedate" first recorded 1550s. Related: Staidly.
stain (v.): late 14c., "damage or blemish the appearance of," probably representing a merger of Old Norse steina "to paint, color, stain," and a shortened form of Middle English disteynen "to discolor or stain," from Old French desteign-, stem of desteindre "to remove the color" (Modern French déteindre), from des- (from Latin dis- "remove;" see dis-) + Old French teindre "to dye," from Latin tingere (see tincture). Meaning "to color" (fabric, wood, etc.) is from 1650s. Intransitive sense "to become stained, take stain" is from 1877. Related: Stained; staining. Stained glass is attested from 1791.
stain (n.): 1560s, "act of staining," from stain (v.). Meaning "a stain mark, discoloration produced by foreign matter" is from 1580s. Meaning "dye used in staining" is from 1758.
stainless (adj.): 1580s, from stain (n.) + -less. Related: Stainlessly. Stainless steel is from 1917, a chromium-steel alloy (usually 14% chromium) used for cutlery, etc., so called because it is highly resistant to rust or tarnish.
stair (n.): Old English stæger "stair, flight of steps, staircase," from Proto-Germanic *staigri (source also of Middle Dutch stegher, Dutch steiger "a stair, step, quay, pier, scaffold;" German Steig "path," Old English stig "narrow path"), from PIE *steigh- "go, rise, stride, step, walk" (source also of Greek steikhein "to go, march in order," stikhos "row, line, rank, verse;" Sanskrit stighnoti "mounts, rises, steps;" Old Church Slavonic stignati "to overtake," stigna "place;" Lithuanian staiga "suddenly;" Old Irish tiagaim "I walk;" Welsh taith "going, walk, way"). Originally also a collective plural; stairs developed by late 14c.