Word Confusion: Step versus Steppe

Posted April 30, 2020 by kddidit in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

Revised as of
5 Oct 2022

This word confusion, step versus steppe, is a homophone, more specifically, a heterograph. And I suspect that when this particular writer’s character “steppe” was simply a typo the proofreader didn’t catch. Still . . .

I will tell ya . . . I was surprised how many definitions existed for step! So I went step-by-step to explore the many steps involved between its noun and verb forms. Just one step after another.

As for steppe, it’s strictly a noun that’s a plain similar to the American plains, only a steppe is in Europe or Siberia.

Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

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Step	Steppe
Step by Step by kai Stachowiak is in the public domain, via Public Domain Pictures.net.	Steppes of Kazakhstan by Togzhan Ibrayeva is under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons.
Part of Grammar:
Combined form ¹; Noun ²; Verb ², intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: steps Gerund: stepping Third person present verb: steps Past tense or past participle: stepped Present participle: stepping	Noun Plural: steppes
Combining form: Denoting a relationship resulting from a remarriage ¹ Noun: An act or movement of putting one leg in front of the other in walking or running ² The distance covered by a step [Usually in singular] A person’s particular way of walking Gait Stride One of the sequences of movement of the feet that make up a dance A short or easily walked distance A flat surface, especially one in a series, on which to place one’s foot when moving from one level to another A doorstep Stair step A rung of a ladder [British; steps or a pair of steps] A stepladder [As modifier] Step aerobics [Climbing] A foothold cut in a slope of ice The sound made by the foot in making such a movement A mark or impression made by the foot on the ground Footprint Pace in marching A pace that is uniform with that of another or others, or in time with music [steps] Movements or course in walking or running A measure or action, especially one of a series taken in order to deal with or achieve a particular thing A stage in a gradual process A particular position or grade on an ascending or hierarchical scale [Music; North American] An interval in a scale A degree of the staff or of the scale [Tone] Whole step [Semitone] Half step [Physics] An abrupt change in the value of a quantity, especially voltage [Nautical] A socket, frame, or platform for supporting the lower end of a mast An offset part of anything [Mining] A flat-topped ledge on the face of a quarry or a mine working Verb, intransitive: [With adverbial] Lift and set down one’s foot or one foot after the other in order to walk somewhere or move to a new position ² To put the foot down Tread by intention or accident [As imperative] Used as a polite or deferential way of asking someone to walk a short distance for a particular purpose [Dated; step it] Perform a dance Take a particular course of action To go briskly or fast, as a horse To obtain, find, win, come upon, etc., something easily and naturally, as if by a mere step of the foot To press with the foot, as on a lever, spring, or the like, in order to operate some mechanism Verb, transitive: [Nautical] Set up (a mast) in its step ² To take (a step, pace, stride, etc.) To go through or perform the steps of a dance To move or set (the foot) in taking a step [Sometimes followed by off or out] To measure (a distance, ground, etc.) by steps To make or arrange in the manner of a series of steps	[Often steppes] A large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia
Examples:
Combining form: Where’s your stepmother? I have two stepbrothers and a stepsister. Pete hates his stepfather. Noun: Ron took a step back. She turned and retraced her steps. Richard came a couple of steps nearer. She left the room with a springy step. Do you know the steps to a tango? The market is only a short step from the end of the lake. She turned on the bottom step of the staircase. She ran up a flight of marble steps. There was a pint of milk on the step. I don’t know if it’ll help, but I have a three-step ladder. We’re taking a step class. Even if you’re wearing crampons, you might welcome a slight step chipped out by the axe. The government must take steps to discourage age discrimination. It was a major step forward in the fight for justice. Sales are up, which is a step in the right direction. My boy took the first step on the managerial ladder. They moved in a double-quick step. We’ll have to retrace his steps. There are five steps to success. This scale divides the octave into six equal steps, each a whole tone apart. At 0 mV, sparks appeared at the beginning of the voltage step with a probability of unity. In ancient Rome, shipbuilders placed gold or silver coins between the wooden mast and wooden mast step. It’s necessary to include steps to prevent the sides collapsing when open pit mining. Verb, intransitive: Claudia tried to step back. I accidentally stepped on his foot. Please step this way. They stepped it down the room between the lines of dancers. Young men have temporarily stepped out of the labor market. He stepped it up. It’s a step into a good business opportunity. Don’t step on the cat’s tail. You have to step on the pedal to make it go. Verb, transitive: With the ship in the water, it’s time now to step the mast and attend to the rigging. Take ten steps to the right and then three steps forward. Ooh baby, you are stepping out tonight! Step up. He stepped off ten feet. It’s easy to follow the steps in this process.	By the mid-sixteenth century Crimea, the southern Russian steppes, the Kazakh steppes, and western Siberia had come under Islamic law. With these they are able to dramatize plains, prairies, steppes, and meadows. From the borders of Europe to the frozen steppes of Siberia and the Pacific coastline of Vladivostok, Russia is still geographically a powerful presence despite having shed its Soviet-era neighbors. The Pope, who aides say is losing sleep over the possibility of war, celebrated a Mass that began with a stiff wind blowing in from Siberia over the flat steppes and ended in sunshine. The arctic meadows, tundras, and steppes contained the herbaceous plants, leaves, and sprigs of shrubs and low shrubs needed for the mammoth to feed on and survive in glacial Siberia.
Derivatives:
Adjective: stepless, steplike, stepped Noun: counterstep, stepper Verb: counterstep, outstep
Phrasal Verb
step aside step back step down step forward step in step out step out on step something down step something up
History of the Word:
Old English stēop-, from a Germanic base meaning bereaved, orphaned. Old English stæpe, stepe (noun), stæppan, steppan (verb), is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch steppen and the German stapfen.	Late 17th century, from the Russian step.

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.

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