The condition a thing stands in at a given moment. From standing itself - a state is a posture held, not a permanence.
Latin status (a standing, a condition, a manner of standing), from stare (to stand); a state was never claimed to be permanent, only to be the posture held right now.
The condition a thing stands in at a given moment, not a claim about how long it will stand there. A posture held, and nothing more.