plural stems
1
a
: the main trunk of a plant
specifically
: a primary plant axis that develops buds and shoots instead of roots
b
: a plant part (such as a branch, petiole, or stipe) that supports another (such as a leaf or fruit)
c
: the complete fruiting stalk of a banana plant with its bananas
2
a
: the main upright member at the bow of a ship
b
: the bow or prow of a ship compare stern
3
: a line of ancestry : stock
especially
: a fundamental line from which others have arisen
4
: the part of an inflected word that remains after the inflected part is removed
strength is the stem of strengths
also
: root sense 6
5
: something held to resemble a plant stem: such as
a
: a main or heavy stroke of a letter
b
: the short perpendicular line extending from the head of a musical note
c
: the part of a tobacco pipe from the bowl outward
d
: the cylindrical support of a piece of stemware (such as a goblet)
e
: a shaft of a watch used for winding
stemmed; stemming
1
: to make headway against (something, such as an adverse tide, current, or wind)
2
: to check or go counter to (something adverse)
stemmed; stemming
1
: to remove the stem from
2
: to make a stem for (something, such as an artificial flower)
: to occur or develop as a consequence : have or trace an origin
her success stems from hard work
stemmed; stemming
1
a
: to stop or dam up (something, such as a river)
b
: to stop or check by or as if by damming
2
: to turn (a ski) in stemming
1
: to restrain or check oneself
also
: to become checked or stanched
2
: to slide the heel of one ski or of both skis outward usually in making or preparing to make a turn
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share