*sterə-

, also

*ster-

, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to spread."It forms all or part of:

consternate

consternation

construct

construction

destroy

destruction

industry

instruct

instruction

instrument

obstruct

obstruction

perestroika

prostrate

sternum

sternocleidomastoid

strain

(n.2) "race, stock, line;"

stratagem

strategy

strath

strato-

stratocracy

stratography

stratosphere

stratum

stratus

straw

stray

street

strew

stroma

structure

substrate

substratum

substructure

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit

strnoti

"strews, throws down;" Avestan

star-

"to spread out, stretch out;" Greek

stronymi

"strew,"

stroma

"bedding, mattress,"

sternon

"breast, breastbone;" Latin

sternere

"to stretch, extend;" Old Church Slavonic

stira

streti

"spread,"

strana

"area, region, country;" Russian

stroji

"order;" Gothic

straujan

, Old High German

strouwen

, Old English

streowian

"to sprinkle, strew;" Old English

streon

"strain,"

streaw

"straw, that which is scattered;" Old High German

stirna

"forehead,"

strala

"arrow, lightning bolt;" Old Irish

fo-sernaim

"spread out,"

srath

"a wide river valley;" Welsh

srat

"plain."