stance

[ stans ]

noun

1. the position or bearing of the body while standing: standing:

   legs spread in a wide stance; the threatening stance of the bull.

2. a mental or emotional position adopted with respect to something:

   They assumed an increasingly hostile stance in their foreign policy.

3. Sports. the relative position of the feet, as in addressing a golf ball or in making a stroke.

stance

/ stæns; stɑːns /

noun

1. the manner and position in which a person or animal stands
2. sport the posture assumed when about to play the ball, as in golf, cricket, etc
3. general emotional or intellectual attitude

   a leftist stance

4. a place where buses or taxis wait
5. mountaineering a place at the top of a pitch where a climber can stand and belay

Word History and Origins

Origin of stance¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Old French estance, “(standing) position,” from Vulgar Latin stantia (unrecorded), derivative of Latin stant-, stem of stāns “standing,” present participle of stāre “to stand”; stand

Word History and Origins

Origin of stance¹

C16: via French from Italian stanza place for standing, from Latin stāns , from stāre to stand

Example Sentences

That stance makes him more moderate than others whose names were floated for the treasury role, such as former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

From BBC

That goes against the apparent stance of the Biden administration - whose decisions this week point to a desire to get as much aid through the door as possible before Trump enters office.

From BBC

That suggests that the proper stance of a Health and Human Services secretary would be to voice support for the practice.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump and his circle are already adopting the stance that the election provided a decisive mandate for nullifying the prosecutions.

From Los Angeles Times

“It is not a neutral stance when one group is allowed to express their political views ... and the other side is silenced under threat of losing their job and/or being seriously reprimanded,” she wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• attitude
• posture
• stand
• viewpoint