stem
n. countablen. the long, thin part of a plant that supports the leaves and flowers. It carries water and food from the roots to the rest of the plant.
n. the main structural axis of a vascular plant, typically rising above the ground and bearing leaves and buds. It functions as a conduit for water and nutrients between the roots and the foliage.
The flower has a long, green stem.
Cut the flower stems at an angle before placing them in fresh water to help them absorb moisture.
While some plants have soft, fleshy stems that die back each winter, woody perennials develop a rigid structure capable of supporting significant weight and surviving harsh seasonal changes.
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”). Cognates Cognate with Dutch stam (“stem”), German Stamm (“stem”), Danish and Norwegian stamme (“stem”), Danish stavn, stævn (“stem of a boat”), Faroese stavnur (“stem of a boat”), stovnur (“institution, public body, foundation, basis”), Icelandic stafn (“stem of a boat”), stofn (“trunk, stock, livestock, stem”), Norn stomna, stimna (“strength, ability”), Swedish stäm (“tree trunk, stem”), stäv (“stem of a boat”), stomme (“frame, structure”), Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐍉𐌼𐌰 (stōma, “substantial grounds, just cause”), Asturian estame (“stamen”), Aragonese estambre (“stamen”), Catalan estam (“stamen”), French étaim (“yarn”), Galician estame (“stamen, yarn”), Italian stame (“stamen”), Portuguese estame (“stem, yarn”), Spanish Spanish estambre (“stamen, a type of yarn”), Latin stāmen (“warp of a loom, thread hanging from a distaff”), Ancient Greek στῆμα (stêma, “stamen of a flower”), στάμνος (stámnos, “earthen jar, bottle for racking off wine”), Albanian shtamë (“pot, jar, pitcher, jug”), Sanskrit स्थामन् (sthā́man, “place, strength”). Doublet of stamen. Not related to English stoma, which is a Greek loan inherited through New Latin.
From Middle English stemmen, a borrowing from Old Norse stemma (“to stop, stem, dam”) (whence Danish stemme/stæmme (“to stem, dam up”)), from Proto-Germanic *stammijaną. Cognate with German stemmen, Middle Dutch stemmen, stempen. Compare stammer.
Acronym of science, technology, engineering, (and) mathematics.
Blend of stud + femme.