Did You Know?
"Steadfast" has held its ground in English for many centuries. Its Old English predecessor, "stedefæst," combined "stede" (meaning "place" or "stead") and "fæst" (meaning "firmly fixed"). An Old English text of the late 10th century, called "The Battle of Maldon," contains our earliest record of the word, which was first used in battle contexts to describe warriors who stood their ground. Soon, it was also being used with the broad meaning "immovable," and as early as the 13th century it was applied to those unswerving in loyalty, faith, or friendship. Centuries later, all of these meanings endure.