/ stem; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
the main long thin part of a plant above the ground from which the leaves or flowers grow; a smaller part that grows from this and supports flowers or leaves
—picture at plant
2.
the long thin part of a wine glass between the bowl and the base
—picture at wine glass
3.
the thin tube of a tobacco pipe
4.
-stemmed (in adjectives) having one or more stems of the type mentioned :
a long-stemmed rose
5.
( grammar ) the main part of a word that stays the same when endings are added to it :
'Writ' is the stem of the forms 'writes', 'writing' and 'written'.
•
IDIOMS
- from stem to stern
■ verb
( -mm- ) [ vn ] to stop sth that is flowing from spreading or increasing :
The cut was bandaged to stem the bleeding.
They discussed ways of stemming the flow of smuggled drugs.
The government had failed to stem the tide of factory closures.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- stem from sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun and stem from sth. Old English stemn , stefn , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stam and German Stamm . Sense 4 is related to Dutch steven , German Steven .
verb Middle English (in the sense to stop, delay ): from Old Norse stemma , of Germanic origin.