Stale
Middle English (describing beer in the sense ‘clear from long standing, strong’): probably from Anglo-Norman French and Old French, from estaler ‘to halt’; compare with the verb stall.
wiktionary
From Middle English stale, of uncertain etymology, but probably originally from Proto-Germanic *stāną(“to stand”): compare West Flemish stel in the same sense for ‘ beer’ and ‘ urine’. [1]
From Middle English stale, from Old English stalu, from Proto-Germanic *stal-. The development was paralleled by the ablaut which became English steal, from Middle English stele, from Old English stela, from Proto-Germanic *stel-. [2] The latter also produced Ancient Greek στελεός(steleós, “handle”) and Latin stēla, which became English stele and stela.
From Middle English stale, from Old French estal(“place, something placed”) (compare French étal), from Frankishstal, [3] from Proto-Germanic *stallaz, earlier *staþlaz. Related to stall and stand.
From Middle English stalen(“to urinate”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps Old French estaler, related to Middle High German stallen(“to piss”). [4]
From Middle English stale(“bird used as a decoy”), probably from uncommon Anglo-Norman estale(“pigeon used to lure hawks”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic, probably *standaną(“to stand”). Compare Old English stælhran(“decoy reindeer”) and Northumbrian stællo(“catching fish”). [5]
etymonline
stale (adj.)
c. 1300, "freed from dregs or lees" (of ale, wine, etc.), probably literally "having stood long enough to clear," from Old French estale "settled, clear," from estal "place, fixed position," from Frankish *stal- "position," from Proto-Germanic *stol-, from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place.
Cognate with Middle Dutch stel "stale" (of beer and old urine). Originally a desirable quality (in beer and wine); the meaning "not fresh" is first recorded late 15c. Figurative sense (of immaterial things) "old and trite, hackneyed" is recorded from 1560s. As a noun, "that which has become tasteless by exposure," hence "a prostitute" (in Shakespeare, etc.). Related: Staleness.
stale (v.)
mid-15c., from stale (adj.). Related: Staled; staling.
