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stay

/steɪ/
verbnoun

STAY meaning: time spent in a place, a postponement, stability, or anchorage; the four-letter word scores 7 Scrabble points.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.

    “We stayed in Hawaii for a week. I can only stay for an hour.”

  2. To continue to have a particular quality.

    “Wear gloves so your hands stay warm.”

  3. To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.

  4. To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.

Noun 4 meanings

  1. Continuance or a period of time spent in a place; abode for an indefinite time.

    “I hope you enjoyed your stay in Hawaii.”

  2. A postponement, especially of an execution or other punishment.

    “The governor granted a stay of execution.”

  3. A fixed state; fixedness; stability; permanence.

  4. A station or fixed anchorage for vessels.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English steyen, staien, from Old French estayer, estaier (“to fix, prop up, support, stay”), from estaye, estaie (“a prop, stay”), from Middle Dutch staeye (“a prop, stay”), a contracted form of staede, stade (“a prop, stay, help, aid”) (compare Middle Dutch staeyen, staeden (“to make firm, stay, support, hold still, stabilise”)), from Proto-West Germanic *stadi (“a site, place, location, standing”), from Proto-Germanic *stadiz (“a standing, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis (“standing”).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
abidecontinuebearupholdcurbcancelcontendrepress

STAY is a familiar four-letter word with several noun senses: time spent somewhere, a postponement, stability, or a vessel’s anchorage. It is accepted in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE. Its everyday feel makes it easy to spot, but the Y supplies most of its seven-point Scrabble value.

STAY at a glance: score, letters and anagram

  • STAY has four letters: S, T, A, and Y.
  • Its standard Scrabble value is 7 points.
  • Y contributes 4 points; S, T, and A contribute 1 apiece.
  • STAY ranks 447th in the word-frequency data, reflecting familiar everyday use.
  • TAYS is its only anagram; STAR, SWAY, and SLAY are one-letter neighbours.

What does STAY mean?

STAY meaning depends on the setting. As a noun, it can name a period spent in a place, as in a short stay at an inn, or the continued presence associated with remaining there. In phrases such as “a two-night stay,” the word counts the visit itself, not the destination.

In formal or legal language, a stay can mean a postponement, especially of punishment. The word also names a fixed state or stability. In nautical use, it can refer to a vessel’s fixed anchorage.

How do STAY’s score and neighbours work?

Y is the scoring hinge: it is worth 4 points, while each of the other three letters is worth 1. The 7-point total is the face value only; a letter or word premium changes the final score. Watch for an open premium square under Y, but don’t force a weak placement just to use it.

One-letter neighbours give you alternatives when a rack or crossing letter shifts. STAR, STAN, STAT, STAB, SWAY, SLAY, and STAG are familiar examples among 12 neighbours. TAYS rearranges all four letters, but it is far less familiar than STAY, so check your game’s word list before playing an unfamiliar form.

Rhymes with stay

All rhymes
  • MAINSTAY13
  • SATAY8
  • OVERSTAY14
  • HOMESTAY16
  • OUTSTAY10
  • FORESTAY14
  • BACKSTAY19
  • BOBSTAY14
  • DITTAY10
  • HEADSTAY15
  • JACKSTAY24
  • UPSTAY11

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest

Questions people ask

Is STAY accepted in Scrabble?
Yes. STAY is accepted in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE, and its base Scrabble value is 7 points before any board premiums. The exact accepted list depends on the game version, so confirm the active dictionary when playing in an app or tournament.
What is the anagram of STAY?
TAYS is the sole anagram of STAY. It uses the same four letters in a different order, but it is much less familiar in everyday English. The original word is usually easier to recognize, while TAYS is worth knowing when an anagram clue calls for every letter.
Which words can you make by changing one letter in STAY?
STAR, SWAY, SLAY, STAB, and STAG each differ from STAY by one letter. They are among 12 one-letter neighbours. Check which position your clue or crossing letter fixes, then compare the remaining letters rather than treating the whole word as a new anagram.

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