Stole
/stoʊl/noun
A long scarf-like garment worn around the shoulders, especially by clergy or as formal wear.
Did you know?English stole comes from Latin stola, a long garment worn by Roman women and later adopted as a liturgical vestment, so a modern ceremonial symbol began as ordinary clothing.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stel-
“to place, put, set”
Latin
Latin
stola
“a long outer garment, especially for women”
Late Latin
Latin
stola
“a clerical or ceremonial vestment”
Old English
English
stol
“a garment or stole, borrowed in ecclesiastical use”
Middle English
English
stole
“a long scarf or ecclesiastical vestment”
Modern English
English
stole
“a long narrow scarf or shawl worn around the shoulders”