Stocking
/ˈstɒk.ɪŋ/noun
A close-fitting covering for the foot and leg, usually worn under shoes or boots.
Did you know?Stocking is historically linked to the Germanic root behind words like stock and stoke, originally referring to something stiff, truncated, or trunk-like before becoming a garment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steg-
“to be stiff, to prick, to point”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stukką / *stokkaz
“a stump, trunk, or post”
Old English
OE
stocc
“a post, trunk, or log”
Middle English
ME
stokking
“a leg covering, originally a close-fitting covering for the lower leg”
Modern English
English
stocking
“a close-fitting covering for the foot and leg”