stem

noun
UK: /stem/
US: /stem/

  1. The main body or stalk of a plant or shrub, typically rising above ground.

    1. The rose has a long stem. [ ] [ ]
    2. The florist carefully arranged the stems in the vase to create a balanced display. [ ] [ ]

  2. The stalk of a fruit, flower, or leaf.

    1. She held the cherry by its stem. [ ] [ ]
    2. The gardener pruned the dead leaves, leaving only the stem attached to the branch. [ ] [ ]

  3. The part of a glass, pipe, or similar object that supports or connects to the main body.

    1. The wine glass has a thin stem. [ ] [ ]
    2. He broke the stem of his pipe while cleaning it, and now must get it repaired. [ ] [ ]

  4. The beginning or cause of something.

    1. His anger stems from jealousy. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many current social problems stem from inequalities and historical injustices. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

arise cause restrain origin check stop trunk stalk originate
stem verb

  1. To originate or arise from something.

    1. The problem stems from a misunderstanding. [ ] [ ]
    2. Their disagreement stemmed from differing opinions on financial matters. [ ] [ ]

  2. To stop or restrain the flow of something.

    1. We must stem the spread of misinformation. [ ] [ ]
    2. The government introduced measures to stem the rising tide of unemployment. [ ] [ ]

  3. To remove the stem from a fruit or vegetable.

    1. She stemmed the strawberries before making jam. [ ] [ ]
    2. Before freezing the berries, it's important to stem them properly. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "stem" in English means: The main body or stalk of a plant or shrub, typically rising above ground., The stalk of a fruit, flower, or leaf., The part of a glass, pipe, or similar object that supports or connects to the main body., The beginning or cause of something..

The phonetic transcription of "stem" is /stem/ in British English and /stem/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "stem": arise, cause, restrain, origin, check, stop, trunk, stalk, originate.

Example usage of "stem": "The rose has a long stem.". More examples on the page.