Stalk Is a Plant Stem and Also a Way of Following
A stalk is the stem of a plant. The verb meaning to follow stealthily comes from a separate old word.
A stalk is the stem of a plant, and to stalk is to follow something stealthily. The two are separate: the plant stem is a diminutive of Old English *stalu*, a wooden post, while the verb comes from an Old English word meaning to move cautiously, related to *steal*. Hunters stalked deer long before anyone stalked a person. The criminal sense, persistently following and harassing someone, is recent — it entered law and everyday use only in the 1990s.
- A plant stem. *A celery stalk.*
- To follow stealthily. *Stalking deer.*
- To harass persistently. *A stalker.*
- Stalking horse — a decoy candidate. *A stalking horse.*
- Old English — *stalu*, a post. *The plant source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | stalk | A stalk. |
| Plural | stalks | Stalks. |
| Verb | stalk | Stalk it. |
| Agent | stalker | A stalker. |
| Compound | stalking horse | A stalking horse. |
- Trim the stalks before cooking.Plant.
- The lion stalked its prey.Hunting.
- Stalking became a criminal offence.Law.
What a stalking horse is
- Originally a real horse that hunters walked behind to get near game
- Then a screen painted like a horse, serving the same purpose
- In politics a candidate who stands to test support for another
- In business a first bidder in a bankruptcy auction
- All keep the idea of concealing the real intention behind a screen
The plant stem is from Old English *stalu*, a post. The verb is from Old English *bestealcian*, to move stealthily, related to *steal*.
Are the two stalks related?
No. The plant stem comes from a word for a post; the verb comes from a word meaning to move stealthily, related to steal.
How old is stalking as a crime?
The legal and everyday sense of persistently harassing someone is recent, becoming widespread in the 1990s.