The word "stage" can refer to several concepts. In one sense, it commonly describes a platform or area where performances, such as plays, concerts, or speeches, take place. In another sense, it can mean a particular phase in a process or development, like the stages of life or the stages of a project.
The word "stage" comes from the Middle English "stage" meaning a place for viewing, derived from the Old French "estage", which in turn comes from the Latin "stagium," meaning a place where something is placed or displayed.