Definition of the word stack

The word "stack" has its roots in Old English and Germanic languages. The earliest recorded use of the word "stack" dates back to the 9th century, where it referred to a pile or heap of things, such as wood, stones, or grain. The word "stac" or "stak" comes from the Proto-Germanic word "*stakiz," which is also the source of the Modern German word "Steck" meaning "pile" or "heap." In Middle English (circa 11th to 15th centuries), the word "stack" evolved to refer specifically to a pile of hay or other dry grasses used as animal fodder. The word's meaning was later expanded to include inanimate objects, such as a stack of books or a stack of plates. Today, the word "stack" has a wide range of meanings, including a physical pile, a collection of items, and even a data structure in computer programming.