sty

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈstī 

plural sties also styes

: pigpen

sty

2 of 3

verb

stied or styed; stying

transitive verb

: to lodge or keep in a sty

intransitive verb

: to live in a sty

sty

3 of 3

noun (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
• mess
• pigsty
• hole
• pigpen
• hellhole
• shambles

Examples of sty in a Sentence

Noun (1)

"That house is such a sty that I'm never setting foot in there again," she said with a shudder

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For patients with eyelid infections, this buildup is a common cause of dryness, itchiness, eyelash loss and even recurrent sties. —Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 30 May 2025

Vance's office announced the trip on Sunday, describing it as one dedicated to learning about Greenlandic culture with stops at historical sties and its national dogsled race. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2025

The designation will bring international recognition to the sties, which aren’t well known even to many Ohioans. —Susan Glaser, cleveland, 19 Sep. 2023

We're admittedly smitten with this stage-to-sty story, which is apparently a sequel. —Country Living, 7 Sep. 2022

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

Rhymes for sty

• ai
• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry

Kids Definition

sty

1 of 2 noun

ˈstī 

plural sties also styes

: pigpen

sty

2 of 2 noun

variants or stye

ˈstī

plural sties or styes

: a painful red swelling of a skin gland on the edge of an eyelid

Etymology

Noun

Old English stig "a pen for swine"

Noun

a shortened form of obsolete styan "a painful swelling of a gland on the edge of the eyelid," from Old English stīgend (same meaning), from stīgan "to rise up"

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