Millions of people have sat on a New York City stoop without realizing they're using a word that's nearly 400 years old.

The word stoop comes from the Dutch word stoep, which means a step, porch, or small platform in front of a house. That makes perfect sense when you remember that New York City began as the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the early 1600s.

Dutch settlers built homes with raised entrances and brought the word stoep with them. Even after the English took control of the colony in 1664, the name stuck. Over time, stoep became stoop, and today it refers to the entire staircase and landing leading to the front door.

Those raised entrances served a practical purpose. They lifted the main floor above muddy, often flooded streets while creating space below for a basement or service level. As cities grew, stoops also became natural gathering places where neighbors talked, children played, and people watched daily life unfold.

Today, the stoop is one of the most recognizable features of New York City's brownstones, but the word itself is one of many lasting reminders of the city's Dutch roots. Others include cookie, coleslaw, boss, and even Santa Claus, all borrowed from the Dutch centuries ago.