An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Stiege

by Friedrich Kluge

Stiege (1.), feminine, ‘stair, staircase,’ from the equivalent Middle High German stiege, Old High German stiega, feminine; the same as Steg; the broken Middle High German ie is similar to Middle High German wiege, ‘cradle,’ and schiec, ‘awry’ (see schief).

Stiege (2.), feminine (dialectic Steig), in the sense of ‘score,’ has been derived from the allied Middle High German stîge, feminine, ‘stall for small cattle’ (Swe. stia, ‘piasty’), it being assumed that a stall contained twenty sheep. Yet it is remarkable that the Crimean Gothic stega was used in the 16th century in the sense of ‘score’ (compare Shock; English score, literally ‘notch’; Dutch snees, ‘score,’ lît, ‘row, series’).