Link Centre Dictionary

stern

UK/stɜːn/ US/stɝn/ fairly common
adjective (3) noun (3)

adjective

1.

of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect

  • “an austere expression”
  • “a stern face”
Synonyms
Similar
2.

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

  • “grim determination”
  • “grim necessity”
  • “Russia”
  • “;”
  • “;”
Synonyms
Similar
3.

severe and unremitting in making demands

  • “an exacting instructor”
  • “a stern disciplinarian”
  • “strict standards”
Synonyms
Similar

noun

1.
2.

United States concert violinist (born in Russia in 1920)

Synonyms
3.

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

  • “he deserves a good kick in the butt”
  • “are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English stern, sterne, sturne, from Old English styrne (“stern, grave, strict, austere, hard, severe, cruel”), from Proto-Germanic *sturnijaz (“angry, astonished, shocked”), from Proto-Indo-European *ster- (“rigid, stiff”). Cognate with Scots stern (“bold, courageous, fierce, resolute”), Old High German stornēn (“to be astonished”), Dutch stuurs (“glum, austere”), Swedish stursk (“insolent”).

Phrases

  • pink stern
  • square stern
  • stem to stern
  • stern chase
  • stern chaser
  • stern frame
  • stern plane
  • stern sex
  • stern sheets
  • torpedo stern
  • tunnel stern

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Parts

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.