statue

\ \ [14] A statue is etymologically something that has been ‘set up’ or ‘erected’. The word comes via Old French statue from Latin statua, a derivative of statuere ‘cause to stand, erect, establish’ (source of English constitute, destitute [14], institute, prostitute, restitution [13], statute [13], and substitute [16]). This in turn was formed from status (source of English state and status), the past participle of Latin stāre ‘stand’ (source of English contrast [16], cost, stage, station, stay, etc). And stāre came ultimately from the Indo-European base *stā- ‘stand’, which is also the ancestor of English stable, stand, stead, stem, etc. Amongst the host of other English words that come from the prolific Latin stāre are (via its present participle stāns) circumstance [13], constant, distant, instant, stance, stanza, substance, etc, and (via the derivative sistere ‘stand’) assist, consist, desist [15], exist, insist [16], persist [16], and resist [14].

\ \ Cf.⇒ ASSIST, CIRCUMSTANCE, CONSIST, CONSTANT, CONTRAST, COST, DESIST, DESTITUTE, DISTANT, ESTATE, EXIST, INSIST, INSTANT, INSTITUTE, PERSIST, PROSTITUTE, RESIST, RESTITUTION, STABLE, STANCE, STAND, STANZA, STATE, STATION, STATISTIC, STATUS, STATUTE, STAY, STEAD, STEM, STOIC, SUBSTANCE, SUBSTITUTE