The word "stein" entered English as a direct borrowing from German in the 19th century. Its origin is the German noun "Stein," meaning "stone," which itself descends from the Proto-Germanic stainaz, and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root steyh₂- meaning "to stiffen." The semantic logic is straightforward: the original drinking vessels were made of stoneware, a type of pottery fired at high temperatures. Thus, the name of the material ("stone") became the name for the vessel itself, a common metonymic process. In modern English usage, it specifically denotes a large, often ornamental beer mug, retaining its association with German drinking culture.

This word is a loanword from German. It is a simplex form, derived from the German word "Stein," meaning "stone," which refers to the material (stoneware) from which these mugs were traditionally made.