ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stole

n.
US //ˈstoʊɫ// UK //stˈəʊl// stole
  1. 1 a long scarf or wrap (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a long, wide piece of cloth or fur that a woman wears around her shoulders.

    a woman's long scarf or shawl, typically made of expensive fabric or fur, worn draped over the shoulders.

    Example

    She wore a silk stole over her evening dress to stay warm at the wedding.

    Example

    The actress arrived on the red carpet draped in a vintage mink stole that complemented her floor-length velvet gown.
  2. 2 ceremonial or religious band (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Religion

    a long strip of cloth worn around the neck by priests or during graduation ceremonies.

    an ecclesiastical vestment consisting of a narrow strip of silk or other material worn over the shoulders; also used in academic dress.

    Example

    The priest wore a green stole for the Sunday morning service.

    Example

    During the commencement ceremony, each graduate was presented with a silk stole embroidered with the university's official crest.
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  1. 3 a creeping plant stem (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a stem that grows along the ground and creates new roots.

    a horizontal branch or runner from the base of a plant that produces new plants from buds at its tip or nodes.

    Example

    The strawberry plant spreads across the garden by sending out a stole.

    Example

    The botanist observed how the species utilised a stole to colonise the surrounding soil, effectively bypassing the need for seed dispersal.

    Usage

    In modern botany, 'stolon' is the standard term; 'stole' is an older or more literary variant.
Etymology 1

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Etymology 2

From Old English stole, from Latin stola, from Ancient Greek στολή (stolḗ, “stole, garment, equipment”); akin to stall. Doublet of stola.

Etymology 3

From Latin stolō. Doublet of stolon.

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