Stem Definition

stĕm

stemmed, stemming, stems

noun

stems

The main ascending part of a plant; a stalk or trunk.

American Heritage

A slender stalk supporting or connecting another plant part, such as a leaf or flower.

American Heritage

A banana stalk bearing several bunches of bananas.

American Heritage

A connecting or supporting part, especially:

American Heritage

The main line of descent of a family.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
root

verb

stemmed, stemming, stems

To have or take origin or descent.

Her success stems mostly from hard work.

American Heritage

To remove the stem of.

Stemmed the apples.

American Heritage

To provide with a stem.

Wine glasses that are stemmed.

American Heritage

To make headway against (a tide or current, for example).

American Heritage

To stop or stanch (a flow).

Stemmed the bleeding.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

abbreviation

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

American Heritage Medicine

idiom

from stem to stern

From one end to another.

American Heritage

Other Word Forms of Stem

Noun

Singular:

stem

Plural:

stems

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Stem

from stem to stern

Origin of Stem

From Old Norse stemma (“to stop, stem, dam") (whence Danish stemme/stæmme (“to stem, dam up")), from Proto-Germanic *stammijanÄ…. Cognate with German stemmen; compare stammer.

From Wiktionary
Old English stemn, stefn (“stem, trunk (of a tree)"), from Proto-Germanic *stamniz.

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English stefn, stemn stā- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English stemmen from Old Norse stemma

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition