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steven

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Steven¹

  • /ˈstiːvən/

Rhymes with -iːvən

Where it comes from

Inherited from Middle English Stevene, Steven, from Anglo-Norman Estievne, Estievene, from Latin Stephanus, from Ancient Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos), from στέφανος (stéphanos, “crown, wreath”), from στέφω (stéphō, “to put round, to surround”).

proper noun

  1. A male given name from Ancient Greek, variant of Stephen. His first name was probably Steve or Ed. No, there were no more Steves or Eds in New York. They were now Steven or Edward, whether they were gay or straight. If they had money, they didn't have a nickname. Everybody was into high seriousness, so that now even dogs were named Humphrey and Raphael.

steven²

  • /ˈstiːvən/
  • /ˈsteɪvən/
  • /ˈstɛvən/

Rhymes with -iːvən, -ɛvən

Where it comes from

From Middle English steven (“voice, command, constitution”), from Old English stefn (“voice”), from Proto-West Germanic *stebnu, from Proto-Germanic *stebnō (“voice”), earlier *stemnā, derived from Proto-Indo-European *stómn̥ (“mouth, muzzle; (originally) hole?”).

Cognate with Old Frisian stifne, stemme (“voice”), Old Saxon stemna (“voice”), Dutch stem, Old High German stimma, stimna (“voice”) (German Stimme), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌽𐌰 (stibna, “voice”), and more distantly Ancient Greek στόμα (stóma, “mouth”), Avestan 𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬨𐬀𐬥 (staman, “maw”), and possibly Hittite 𒅖𒋫𒈪𒈾𒀸 (iš-ta-mi-na-aš /⁠stāminas⁠/, “ear”). See also stevvon. Displaced by voice.

noun stevens · steaven · stevvon

  1. Northern England, Scotland Voice, especially when loud or strong. 1566, William Addlington, translator, The Golden Asse, Apuleius […] whereby the little birds weening that the spring time had bin come, did chirp and sing in their steven melodiously […]
  2. obsolete A request, petition, prayer, or command. To thee, lady, y make my moon; I praie thee heere my steuen.

steven³

  • /ˈstiːvən/
  • /ˈsteɪvən/
  • /ˈstɛvən/

Rhymes with -iːvən, -ɛvən

Where it comes from

From Middle English steven (“appointment”), from Old English stefn (“a time, turn, tour of duty”), from Proto-Germanic *stabnijaz, *stabnijô (“fixed time”), from Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- (“a stake, post; to support, stamp, insist, become angry”). Cognate with Middle Low German stevene (“a court appointment”), Old Norse stefna (“appointment, meeting”). More at staff.

noun stevens · steaven · stevvon

  1. obsolete A time, occasion. And that same nyght that the steavyn was sette betwyxte Segwarydes wyff and Sir Trystrames, so Kynge Marke armed and made hym redy ….

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: steve, carlos, stevens, catherine, yiu, stephen, yao, stephane, steffan, steffen, voice, scream, yell, shout, call, cry

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Cite this
MLA

"steven." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/steven. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

steven. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/steven

Chicago

"steven." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/steven.

BibTeX
@misc{steven_2026,
  title = {steven},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/steven},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}