Stik

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. An informal phonetic spelling of the word stick, meaning a thin, narrow piece of wood or a similar slender rod
2. A casual alternative spelling of stick, referring to a slim length of wood, twig, or rod-shaped object
3. Nonstandard spelling of stick used in informal writing for a thin piece of wood or a long, narrow object

Etymology: The English "stick" goes back to Old English "sticca," a word for a rod, peg or twig, and it is a native Germanic word rather than a borrowing from Latin or French. Its roots run deep in the Germanic languages: Old Saxon, Old High German and Old Norse all had close relatives meaning something pointed or fixed in place. The idea underneath is of a thin, rigid piece of wood, and that core sense has barely shifted in more than a thousand years. The verb grew out of the same idea. To "stick" something is, at root, to push a pointed thing into or onto something else, and the meaning of fixing, adhering or remaining put developed from that. Many of the familiar verb senses, such as sticking to a plan or being stuck in traffic, are extensions of the notion of being fastened in place.