Stem

/stɛm/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The main ascending axis of a plant, typically above ground, that supports leaves and flowers.

The stem of the rose plant is often throny.

A long, narrow part of something, such as a pipe, glass, or flower.

She held her drink by the stem of the glass.

A part of a word that remains after removing prefixes or suffixes, often containing the word's core meaning.

The stem of the word 'running' is 'run'.

verb

To originate from or be caused by.

Her interest in music stems from her childhood experiences with her family.

To remove the stem from a fruit or flower.

You need to stem the strawberries before using them in the recipe.

Middle English 'stem', from Old English 'stem', meaning 'stalk or trunk'.

stem the tide

To stop or slow down something undesirable.

stem from

To originate from or be caused by.

stem cell

A basic class of cells that can develop into different cell types.

stalk

The stem of a plant or the main axis of a flower.

stemmed

Having a stem; especially associated with a wine glass.

stemming

The process of deriving or removing something.

In some contexts, to stem means to break away from usual practices.

He decided to stem from the norm and try something different.

In conversational contexts, it can imply to prevent or stop something.

They need to stem the flow of bad feedback quickly.