# stumps

/ˈstəmps/ (US) · /stˈʌmps/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stumps
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the bottom part of a tree that stays in the ground after the top is cut down. You can also use this word for the three wooden sticks used in the game of cricket.

For teachers: the basal portion of a tree remaining in the ground after the trunk has been severed. In a sporting context, refers to the three vertical posts that form the wicket in cricket.

## Examples

- We sat on the old tree stumps to eat our lunch.
- The field was dotted with blackened stumps after the forest fire swept through the valley.
- The bowler successfully knocked over the middle stump, ending the batsman's long innings just before the tea break.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in the plural when referring to a cleared area of forest or the set of sticks in cricket.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.