sty
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈstī 
plural sties also styes
: pigpen
sty
2 of 3verb
stied or styed; stying
transitive verb
: to lodge or keep in a sty
intransitive verb
: to live in a sty
sty
3 of 3noun (2)
ˈstī
variants or stye
plural sties or styes
: an inflamed swelling of a sebaceous gland at the margin of an eyelid
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- dump
- hellhole
- hole
- pigpen
- pigsty
- shambles
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English stig pen; pigpen; akin to Old Norse svīnsti pigpen
Noun (2)
short for obsolete English styan, from Middle English styanye eye with a sty, from Old English stīgend sty, from stīgan to go up, rise — more at stair
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Noun (2)
1617, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
sty 1 of 2
noun
ˈstī
plural sties
: pigpen
sty
2 of 2noun
variants or stye
ˈstī
plural sties or styes
: a painful red swelling on the edge of an eyelid
Medical Definition
sty
noun
variants or stye
ˈstī
plural sties or styes
: an inflamed swelling of a sebaceous gland at the margin of an eyelid
called also hordeolum
sty
noun
as in pigsty
a dirty or messy place "That house is such a sty that I'm never setting foot in there again," she said with a shudder Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pigsty
- mess
- pigpen
- dump
- hole
- hellhole
- shambles
- chaos
- disorder
- hell
- disarray
- disorganization
- havoc
- disarrangement
- muss
- confusion
- clutter
- snake pit
- litter
- muddle
- jumble
- mishmash
- welter
- mare's nest