- style (n.)
- c.1300, stile, "designation, title, manner or mode of expression," from Old French estile "a stake, pale," from Latin stilus "stake, instrument for writing, manner of writing, mode of expression," from PIE *sti-lo-, from root *sti- "point, prick, pierce" (see stick (v.)). Spelling modified by influence of Greek stylos "pillar." Meaning "mode or fashion of life" is from 1770; that of "mode of dress" is from 1814.
- style (v.)
- 1560s, "to give a name to," from style (n.). Meaning "to arrange in fashionable style" (especially of hair) is attested from 1934. Slang sense of "act or play in a showy way" is by 1974, U.S. Black slang. Related: Styled; styling.