Origin: before 1000;Middle Englishstedefast,Old Englishstedefæst. See stead, fast1
Related forms
stead·fast·ly, adverb
stead·fast·ness, noun
o·ver·stead·fast, adjective
o·ver·stead·fast·ly, adverb
o·ver·stead·fast·ness, noun
un·stead·fast, adjective
un·stead·fast·ly, adverb
un·stead·fast·ness, noun
Synonyms 2. sure, dependable, reliable, constant, unwavering. Steadfast, staunch, steady imply a sureness and continuousness that may be depended upon. Steadfast literally means fixed in place, but is chiefly used figuratively to indicate undeviating constancy or resolution: steadfast in one's faith.Staunch literally means watertight, as of a vessel, and therefore strong and firm; figuratively, it is used of loyal support that will endure strain: a staunch advocate of free trade. Literally, steady is applied to that which is relatively firm in position or continuous in movement or duration: a steady flow; figuratively, it implies sober regularity or persistence: a steady worker.4, 5. stable.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.