stemma

stem·ma

noun \ˈste-mə\

plural stem·ma·ta\-mə-tə\

Definition of STEMMA

1

: a simple eye present in some insects

2

: a scroll (as among the ancient Romans) containing a genealogical list

3

: a tree showing the relationships of the manuscripts of a literary work

— stem·mat·ic \ste-ˈma-tik, stə-\ adjective

Origin of STEMMA

Latin, wreath, pedigree (from the wreaths placed on ancestral images), from Greek, wreath, from stephein to crown, enwreathe

First Known Use: 1826

Rhymes with STEMMA

gemma, lemma