Stem’

n. 1 main body or stalk of a plant. 2 stalk of a fruit, flower, or leaf. 3 stemshaped part, as: a the slender part of a wineglass. b the tube of a tobaccopipe. c a vertical stroke in a letter or musical note. 4 Gram. root or main part of a noun, verb, etc., to which inflections are added. 5 main upright timber at the bow of a ship (from stem to stern). v. (mm) (foil. by from)spring or originate from. [Old English]