STANCE

noun Etymology: Middle English ~, staunce, from Middle French e~ position, posture, stay, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *stantia, from Latin stant-, stans, present participle of stare to stand Date: 14th century 1. chiefly Scottish station , site , 2. a way of standing or being placed ; posture , intellectual or emotional attitude , 3. the position of the feet of a golfer or batter preparatory to making a swing, the position of both body and feet from which an athlete starts or operates