Stored

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An item or resource that has been accumulated for future utilization while being preserved in a specific location
2. Something that has been reserved or placed in a designated area for later access and use
3. Held securely in a location to be used at a future time

Etymology: "Stored" is the past tense and past participle of "store," so its story is really the story of the verb. The noun "store" entered English in Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-Norman "stor," which came from Latin "instaurare," meaning to renew, restore or establish. The Latin root sits behind a surprisingly different sense: the idea of building up or setting something in place, which gradually narrowed toward keeping goods ready for use. The verb's sense of putting something aside for later use grew out of that noun. Once "store" meant a supply of goods gathered for future needs, verbs formed from it described the act of laying those supplies away. A stored item is therefore one that has been set into a reserved place, waiting until someone needs it.