stem
The stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.
Noun 4 meanings
The stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.
A branch of a family.
An advanced or leading position; the lookout.
The above-ground stalk (technically axis) of a vascular plant, and certain anatomically similar, below-ground organs such as rhizomes, bulbs, tubers, and corms.
Verb 4 meanings
To remove the stem from.
“to stem cherries; to stem tobacco leaves”
To be caused or derived; to originate.
“The current crisis stems from the short-sighted politics of the previous government.”
To descend in a family line.
To direct the stem (of a ship) against; to make headway against.
Etymology
From Middle English stem, stemme, stempne, stevin, from Old English stemn (“stem”), from Proto-West Germanic *stamni, from Proto-Germanic *stamniz (“stem, tree stalk”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand, stay”).
Similar and opposite words
STEM at a glance
STEM has 4 letters and scores 6 points in Scrabble (S 1 + T 1 + E 1 + M 3) and 7 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #4,254 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with stem
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