The present participle of 'stay,' meaning remaining in a particular place or condition rather than leaving or changing. It can also refer to temporarily living somewhere as a guest.
From Old French 'estayer' meaning 'to prop up' or 'support,' ultimately from Frankish or another Germanic source. The sense of 'remaining in place' developed from the idea of being supported or held steady in position.
The original meaning of 'stay' as physical support survives in nautical terms like 'stay-sail' and architectural 'stays' that brace structures. This reveals how our concept of remaining somewhere evolved from the more concrete idea of being physically supported or held up.
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