English-English Dictionary

Meaning of the word stem in English

What does stem mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

stem

US /stem/
UK /stem/
"stem" picture

Noun

1.

the main body or stalk of a plant or shrub, typically rising above ground but occasionally subterranean.

Example:
•
The rose stem had sharp thorns.
•
She carefully cut the flower at the base of its stem.
Synonym:
stalktrunkshootstemletculm
2.

the main part of a word, to which inflections or other affixes are added.

Example:
•
In the word 'unhappiness', 'happy' is the stem.
•
Understanding the stem helps in analyzing word families.
Synonym:
rootbaseradixthememorpheme

Verb

1.

originate in or be caused by.

Example:
•
His problems stem from a lack of organization.
•
The river stems from the mountains.
Synonym:
originatederivearisespringemanate
2.

stop or restrict (the flow or spread of something).

Example:
•
The government is trying to stem the flow of illegal immigration.
•
They built a dam to stem the floodwaters.
Synonym:
stopcheckhaltcurbblock
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Related Word:
stem from