the ascending axis of a plant, whether above or below ground, which ordinarily grows in an opposite direction to the root or descending axis.
the stalk that supports a leaf, flower, or fruit.
the main body of that portion of a tree, shrub, or other plant which is above ground; trunk; stalk.
a cut flower: We bought roses at the flower market for 50¢ a stem.
a petiole; peduncle; pedicel.
a stalk of bananas.
something resembling or suggesting a leaf or flower stalk.
a long, slender part: the stem of a tobacco pipe.
the slender, vertical part of a goblet, wineglass, etc., between the bowl and the base.
Informal. a drinking glass having a stem.
the handle of a spoon.
a projection from the rim of a watch, having on its end a knob for winding the watch.
the circular rod in some locks about which the key fits and rotates.
the rod or spindle by which a valve is operated from outside.
the stock or line of descent of a family; ancestry or pedigree.
Grammar. the underlying form, often consisting of a root plus an affix, to which the inflectional endings of a word are added, as tend-, the stem in Latin tendere “to stretch,” the root of which is ten-.Compare base1 (def. 19), theme (def. 5).
Music. the vertical line forming part of a note.
stems,Slang. the legs of a human being.
the main or relatively thick stroke of a letter in printing.
verb (used with object),stemmed,stem·ming.
to remove the stem from (a leaf, fruit, etc.): Stem the cherries before cooking.
verb (used without object),stemmed,stem·ming.
to arise or originate: This project stems from last week's lecture.
Origin of stem
1
First recorded before 900; Middle English stem(me), Old English stemn, stefn “stem (of a plant or ship)”; from Germanic stamniz “stem, tree trunk” (equivalent to stə-, a variant of the root stā- “to stand, place” + -mn-, noun suffix); akin to Old Norse stafn “stem of a ship,” Old Saxon stamm, Old High German stam “stem, tribe,” Greek stámnos “large (standing) jar”; cf. stamnos, stand
to dam up; stop the flow of (a stream, river, or the like).
to tamp, plug, or make tight, as a hole or joint.
Skiing. to maneuver (a ski or skis) in executing a stem.
to stanch (bleeding).
verb (used without object),stemmed,stem·ming.
Skiing. to execute a stem.
noun
Skiing. the act or instance of a skier pushing the heel of one or both skis outward so that the heels are far apart, as in making certain turns or slowing down.
Origin of stem
2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English stemmen, from Old Norse stemma “to dam” or Middle Low German stemmen
Definition for stem (3 of 6)
stem3
[ stem ]
/ stɛm /
verb (used with object),stemmed,stem·ming.
to make headway against (a tide, current, gale, etc.).
to make progress against (any opposition).
Origin of stem
3
First recorded in 1585–95; verb use of stem4:see origin at stem1
Definition for stem (4 of 6)
stem4
[ stem ]
/ stɛm /
nounNautical.
(at the bow of a vessel) an upright into which the side timbers or plates are jointed.
the forward part of a vessel (often opposed to stern).
Origin of stem
4
First recorded before 900; continuing Old English stefn, stemn “end-timber,” Middle English stampne, stamyn(e), apparently from the Old Norse cognate stamn, stafn in the same sense; see origin at stem1
Definition for stem (5 of 6)
stem5
[ stem ]
/ stɛm /
verb (used with object),stemmed,stem·ming.
to arrange the loading of (a merchant vessel) within a specified time.
Origin of stem
5
First recorded in 1895–1900; variant of obsolete steven “to direct one's course,” from Old Norse stefna “to sail directly, aim,” derivative of stafn stem4;see origin at stem1
Definition for stem (6 of 6)
STEM
[ stem ]
/ stɛm /
noun
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, considered as a group of academic or career fields (often used attributively): degree programs in STEM disciplines;teaching STEM in high school.
By March, regulators were desperately trying to stem the tide of price gouging flooding online retailers, especially Amazon's sprawling third-party Marketplace.
Price gouging and defective products rampant on Amazon, reports find|Kate Cox|September 11, 2020|Ars Technica
The pause stemmed from a standard review of the company’s vaccine trials after one person developed an unexplained illness, AstraZeneca said in a statement.
Some scientists downplay significance of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial halt|Claire Zillman, reporter|September 9, 2020|Fortune
The commission recommends more research on using stem cells to produce eggs and sperm in lab dishes, which could then be used to create embryos that don’t carry genetic diseases.
Strict new guidelines lay out a path to heritable human gene editing|Tina Hesman Saey|September 3, 2020|Science News
Julia Gaydina, co-founder of sustainable luxury clothing brand Infantium Victoria He spent the next 18 months trying to understand how to extract the calotropis gigantea fiber from its stem and pod without using any chemicals.
How a Wasteland Shrub Is Becoming the Next Big Thing in Fashion|Daniel Malloy|August 28, 2020|Ozy
In 2019, approximately $919 million of craft distiller revenues stemmed from on-site sales.
Craft distillers have lost out on more than $700 million in sales because of the pandemic|Rachel King|August 20, 2020|Fortune
Republican legislatures are looking for any way to stem the tide, and religious exemptions are one way to do that.
RFRA Madness: What’s Next for Anti-Democratic ‘Religious Exemptions’|Jay Michaelson|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In part, it may stem from what looks like an increasingly “political” Court.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Levels With Us on Why She’s Not Retiring|Jeff Greenfield|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Food dislikes often stem from childhood, or are linked to unpleasant past experiences.
Brits Are Very Fussy Eaters|Emma Woolf|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We might start by trying to stem the sale of arms to those who are perpetrating the violence in the first place.
Is it Time to Send Lady Liberty Back to France?|Gene Robinson|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, in 2013 women made up less than a quarter of all full-time professors in STEM fields.
Two-Thirds of These Female Scientists Say They’ve Been Sexually Harassed|Brandy Zadrozny|July 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An axillary flower stands between the bract or leaf which subtends it and the axis or stem which bears this bract or leaf.
The Elements of Botany|Asa Gray
M. de Cussy returned the bow and accepted a seat on the locker under the stem windows.
Captain Blood|Rafael Sabatini
If the float is too high on its stem, the gasoline control valve may not be operated until the fuel overflows in its chamber.
The Gasoline Motor|Harold Whiting Slauson
It went, of course, from stem to stern, and the thickly tarred folds nailed over the bows served somewhat to strengthen them.
Will Weatherhelm|W.H.G. Kingston
Differs from A. arvensis in flesh becoming yellow, and in yellow base of stem.
European Fungus Flora: Agaricaceae|George Massee
British Dictionary definitions for stem (1 of 3)
stem1
/ (stɛm) /
noun
the main axis of a plant, which bears the leaves, axillary buds, and flowers and contains a hollow cylinder of vascular tissue
any similar subsidiary structure in such plants that bears a flower, fruit, or leaf
a corresponding structure in algae and fungi
any long slender part, such as the hollow part of a tobacco pipe that lies between the bit and the bowl, or the support between the base and the bowl of a wineglass, goblet, etc
a banana stalk with several bunches attached
the main line of descent or branch of a family
a round pin in some locks on which a socket in the end of a key fits and about which it rotates
any projecting feature of a component: a shank or cylindrical pin or rod, such as the pin that carries the winding knob on a watch
linguisticsthe form of a word that remains after removal of all inflectional affixes; the root of a word, esp as occurring together with a thematic elementCompare root 1 (def. 9)
the main, usually vertical, stroke of a letter or of a musical note such as a minim
electronicsthe tubular glass section projecting from the base of a light bulb or electronic valve, on which the filament or electrodes are mounted
the main upright timber or structure at the bow of a vessel
the very forward end of a vessel (esp in the phrase from stem to stern)
verbstems, stemmingorstemmed
(intr usually foll by from) to be derived; originatethe instability stems from the war
(tr)to make headway against (a tide, wind, etc)
(tr)to remove or disengage the stem or stems from
(tr)to supply (something) with a stem or stems
Derived forms of stem
stemlike, adjectivestemmer, noun
Word Origin for stem
Old English stemn; related to Old Norse stafn stem of a ship, German Stamm tribe, Gothic stōma basis, Latin stāmen thread
British Dictionary definitions for stem (2 of 3)
stem2
/ (stɛm) /
verbstems, stemmingorstemmed
(tr)to restrain or stop (the flow of something) by or as if by damming up
(tr)to pack tightly or stop up
skiingto manoeuvre (a ski or skis), as in performing a stem
noun
skiinga technique in which the heel of one ski or both skis is forced outwards from the direction of movement in order to slow down or turn
Derived forms of stem
stemmer, noun
Word Origin for stem
C15 stemmen, from Old Norse stemma; related to Old Norse stamr blocked, stammering, German stemmen to prop; see stammer
British Dictionary definitions for stem (3 of 3)
Stem
/ (stɛm) /
noun
die Stem (di) the South African national anthem until 1991, when part of it was incorporated into the current anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrikaSee Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
The main, often long or slender part of a plant that usually grows upward above the ground and supports other parts, such as branches and leaves. Plants have evolved a number of tissue arrangements in the stem. Seedless vascular plants (such as mosses and ferns) have primary vascular tissue in an inner core, a cylindrical ring, or individual strands scattered amid the ground tissue. In eudicots, magnoliids, and conifers, the stem develops a continuous cylindrical layer or a ring of separate bundles of vascular tissue (including secondary vascular tissue) embedded in the ground tissue. In monocots and some herbaceous eudicots, individual strands of primary vascular tissue are scattered in the ground tissue.
A slender stalk supporting or connecting another plant part, such as a leaf or flower.