Stela
/ˈstiː.lə/noun
A standing stone slab or monument, often inscribed or carved.
Did you know?Stelae were often erected to proclaim laws, victories, or funerary messages, turning stone into a permanent public spell of memory and authority.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
στήλη (stḗlē)
“an upright slab, pillar, or monument”
Classical Latin
Lat
stēla
“an upright slab or pillar; a commemorative stone”
Late Latin
Lat
stela
“a standing stone or inscribed monument”
18th Century
Fr
stèle
“a commemorative upright stone slab”
Modern English
Eng
stela
“an upright stone slab or monument, especially one with inscriptions or carvings”