English word understand comes from Proto-Germanic *stōd-
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *stōd- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| understandan | Old English (ang) | Halt, stop, stay, remain. Take a stand; stand still; remain standing. To take for granted. To understand, perceive; notice, observe. |
| understanden | Middle English (enm) | |
| understand | English (en) | (circus, acrobatics) One who supports others in such performances as the human pyramid.. (obsolete, rare, humorous) To stand under; to support.. (transitive) To be aware of the meaning of.. To believe, based on information.. To impute meaning, character etc. that is not explicitly stated. |