Stalk Definition

stôk

stalked, stalking, stalks

noun

stalks

A slow, stiff, haughty, or grim stride.

Webster's New World

The act of stalking game, an enemy, etc.

Webster's New World

The main stem or axis of a plant.

Webster's New World

Any stem or stemlike part, as a slender rod, shaft, or support.

Webster's New World

A lengthened support for an animal organ.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

verb

stalked, stalking, stalks

To pursue or approach (game, prey, etc.) stealthily.

Webster's New World

To advance or spread grimly.

Plague stalks across the land.

Webster's New World

To follow or pursue (another person) persistently in a harassing and, typically, obsessive way.

Webster's New World

To walk in a stiff, haughty, or grim manner.

Webster's New World

To go through (an area) in pursuit of prey or quarry.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Stalk

Noun

Singular:

stalk

Plural:

stalks

Origin of Stalk

From Middle English stalken, from Old English -stealcian (as in Old English bestealcian (“to move stealthily"), stealcung (“stalking")), from Proto-Germanic *stalkōnÄ… 'to move stealthily' (compare Dutch stelkeren, stolkeren 'to tip-toe, tread carefully', Danish stalke (“to high step, stalk"), Norwegian dialectal stalka 'to trudge'), from *stalkaz, *stelkaz (compare Old English stealc 'steep', Old Norse stelkr, stjalkr (“knot (bird), red sandpiper")), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)telg, *(s)tolg- (compare Middle Irish tolg (“strength"), Lithuanian stalgùs (“stiff, defiant, proud")).

From Wiktionary
From Middle English stalke, diminutive of stale 'ladder upright, stalk', from Old English stalu 'wooden upright', from Proto-Germanic *stalÇ (compare Middle Low German stal, stale 'chair leg'), variant of *steluz, stelōn 'stalk' (compare Old English stela, Dutch steel, German Stiel, Danish stilk), from Proto-Indo-European *stel- (compare Albanian shtalkÃ« (“crossbeam, board used as a door hinge"), Welsh telm (“frond"), Ancient Greek stélos 'beam', Old Armenian Õ½Õ¿Õ¥Õ²Õ¶ (steÅ‚n, “trunk, stalk")).

From Wiktionary
Alternate etymology connects Proto-Germanic *stalkōnÄ… 'to stalk, move stealthily', to a frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *stelanÄ… 'to steal'.

From Wiktionary
1530, 'to walk haughtily', perhaps from Old English stealc 'steep', from Proto-Germanic *stelkaz, *stalkaz 'high, lofty, steep, stiff'; see above

From Wiktionary
Middle English probably diminutive of stale upright of a ladder, post, handle from Old English stalu stel- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English stalken from Old English -stealcian to move stealthily (in bestealcian)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition