Antonyms for stem


Grammar : Noun, verb
Spell : stem
Phonetic Transcription : stɛm


Definition of stem

Origin :
  • Old English stemn, stefn "stem of a plant," also "either end-post of a ship," from Proto-Germanic *stamniz (cf. Old Saxon stamm, Old Norse stafn "stem of a ship;" Danish stamme, Swedish stam "trunk of a tree;" Old High German stam, German Stamm), from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
  • Meaning "support of a wineglass" is from 1835. Stem-winding watches (1875) were advanced and desirable when introduced, hence slang stem-winder "excellent thing" (1892). The nautical sense is preserved in the phrase stem to stern "along the full length" (of a ship), attested from 1620s. The verbal phrase stems from, first recorded 1932, American English, translates German stammen aus, probably from a figurative sense represented by English stem (n.) in the sense of "stock of a family, line of descent" (c.1540; cf. family tree, and German stammvater "tribal ancestor," literally "stem-father"). Stem cell attested by 1885.
  • noun stalk of plant
  • verb come from
  • verb prevent, stop
Example sentences :
  • Let us rejoice that one such partisan was now at hand to stem the torrent of abuse.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • There is one stream which I dread my inability to stem—it is the tide of Popular Opinion.
  • Extract from : « The Grand Old Man » by Richard B. Cook
  • In his excitement the dominie had snapped the stem of his tobacco pipe in two.
  • Extract from : « Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates » by Howard Pyle
  • Then one after the other the two tenders puffed away, packed from stem to stern.
  • Extract from : « It Happened in Egypt » by C. N. Williamson
  • And the pick was only the stem of a kau-ling plant, to which a bit of brick had been fastened.
  • Extract from : « The Chinese Fairy Book » by Various
  • Again, take the stem of the chief tree in Claude's Narcissus.
  • Extract from : « Modern Painters Volume I (of V) » by John Ruskin
  • There are three things we've forgotten, the stem, stern-post, and keel.
  • Extract from : « Harper's Young People, July 6, 1880 » by Various
  • It was an eggcup, and its stem had been mended with plaster.
  • Extract from : « Nana, The Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille » by Emile Zola
  • When they are attached squarely and firmly to the stem they are said to be adnate.
  • Extract from : « The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise » by M. E. Hard
  • The spores are white and the stem is readily separable from the cap.
  • Extract from : « The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise » by M. E. Hard

Synonyms for stem

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019