# stead

> English word · Noun · IPA /stɛd/ · frequency rank #22,826

## Definitions
1. The position or function (of someone or something), as taken on by a successor.
2. A place as it relates to a role, service, or ability; capacity.
3. A relational or circumstantial position; standing.
4. A place as it relates to situation, circumstance, or status; condition.
5. A place, or spot, in general; location.
6. A place where a person normally rests; a seat.
7. An inhabited place; a settlement, city, town etc.
8. An estate, a property with its grounds; a farm; a homestead.
9. The frame on which a bed is laid; a bedstead.

## Etymology
From Middle English sted, stede (noun) and steden (verb), from Old English stede, from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing, location”). Doublet of stad.
cognates and related terms
Cognate with Scots steid (“location, place”), North Frisian Stair, Stat, steed, stää (“city, town; place, stead”), Saterland Frisian Steede (“place, stead”), Stääd (“city, town”), West Frisian stêd (“city, town”), Bavarian Stådt (“city, town”), Dutch stad, stede (“city, town”), German Stadt (“city, town”), Statt (“abode, place, stead”), Stätte (“place, spot, venue”), German Low German Stee (“location, place”), Luxembourgish Stad (“city, town”), Vilamovian śtaod (“city, town”), Yiddish שטאָט (shtot, “city, town”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål stad (“city, town”), sted (“place”), Faroese stað (“place”), staður (“location, place; town”), Icelandic staður (“location, place”), Norn sta (“domicile, farm”), Norwegian Nynorsk stad (“place; city, town”), Swedish stad, stadh, stedt (“city, town”), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌸𐍃 (staþs, “location, place”). See the doublet stasis.

## Easily confused with
- **stem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stem)
- **sued** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-sued)
- **stud** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stud)
- **stew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stew)
- **steps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steps)
- **steel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steel)
- **Steve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steve)
- **stood** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stood)
- **steam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steam)
- **swear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-swear)
- **steal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steal)
- **sweat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-sweat)
- **steep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steep)
- **straw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-straw)
- **steak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steak)
- **stern** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stern)
- **strap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-strap)
- **stray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stray)
- **steer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-steer)
- **stein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stead-vs-stein)

## Common misspellings (7)
`setad`, `sstead`, `staed`, `steadd`, `steda`, `sttead`, `tsead`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/stead