sty Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an infection of the sebaceous gland of the eyelid
    hordeolum; stye; eye infection.
  2. noun a pen for swine
    pigpen; pigsty.

WordNet

Sty noun
Etymology
AS. stigu, fr. stigan to rise; originally, probably, a place into which animals climbed or went up. *164. See Sty, v. i., and cf. Steward.
Wordforms
plural Sties
Definitions
  1. A pen or inclosure for swine.
  2. A place of bestial debauchery.
    To roll with pleasure in a sensual sty. Milton.
Sty transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Stied ; present participle & verbal noun Stying
Definitions
  1. To shut up in, or as in, a sty. Shak.
Sty intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. stien, stien, AS. stigan to rise; akin to D. stijgen, OS. & OHG. stigan, G. steigen, Icel. stiga, Sw. stiga, Dan. stige, Goth. steigan, L. vestigium footstep, Gr. to walk, to go, Skr. stigh to mount. Cf. Distich, Stair steps, Stirrup, Sty a boil, a pen for swine, Vestige.
Definitions
  1. To soar; to ascend; to mount. See Stirrup. Obs.
    With bolder wing shall dare aloft to sty, To the last praises of this Faery Queene. Spenser.
Sty noun
Etymology
For older styan, styanye, understood as sty on eye, AS. stigend (sc. eáge eye), properly, rising, or swelling (eye), p.p. of stigan to rise. See Sty, v. i.
Definitions
  1. (Med.) An inflamed swelling or boil on the edge of the eyelid. Written also stye.

Webster 1913