stem English · revision 6140

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /stem/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|plant stalk; front of a ship}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 888|origins=gem-pro *stamniz}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The stalk is Middle English stemme, [[inh|ang|stemn|t=trunk of a tree; end-post of a ship]], also stefn,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) from [[gem-pro|*stamniz]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) with a parallel form [[m|gem-pro|*stamnaz]] seen in [[goh|stam]] (German Stamm), [[osx|stamn]] and [[non|stafn|t=stem of a ship]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It is probably formed on the root of [[stand]], PIE [[ine-pro|*steh₂-]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The main body of a tree or plant above ground, and either end of a ship: Old English, about 888 in the OED,^(OED 1989) before 899 in Alfred's Boethius in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988) The ship's stempost is 1294–95 in Middle English.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Especially of the post at the bow, the word came to mean the front of a ship by the 1550s,^(Etymonline) as in ''from stem to stern''.^(AHD) The stock of a family, the main line of descent, is from about 1540,^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) and the stalk supporting a leaf, flower or fruit from 1590.^(OED 1989) An upright stroke of a letter or note is from the 17th century, and a slender cylindrical support, as of a wine glass or a pipe, from the 19th.^(Hoad 1986) In grammar the stem is the part of a word to which endings are added.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) The nautical verb, to keep a course or make headway, is from the late 14th century, literally to push the stem through,^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) and to make headway against something from the 1590s.^(Etymonline) ''To stem from'', to derive from, is originally American, from the 20th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 888 – Old English stemn, trunk of a tree.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1294–95 – the stempost of a ship.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – to make headway by sailing.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1540 – the stock of a family.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1550s – the front of a ship.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1590 – the stalk of a leaf or flower.^(OED 1989)

+ * 20th century – to stem from.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The main ascending axis of a plant, or a slender stalk bearing a leaf, flower or fruit.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A long, slender supporting part, as of a [[wine glass]], pipe or watch.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(grammar)'' The part of a word to which [[inflection|alt=inflections]] are added.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The upright timber or beam at the bow of a ship.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To come from or originate in: ''problems stemming from neglect''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To remove the stems from.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # To make headway against, as a tide or current.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stemless]]

+ * [[stemmed]]

+ * [[stem cell]]

+ * [[stemware]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|to stop, check}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1325|origins=non stemma}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb meaning to stop is Middle English stemmen, probably [[bor|non|stemma|t=to stop, dam up]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*stamjaną]],^(Etymonline) which is also the source of Middle Dutch [[m|dum|stemmen]] and [[de|stemmen|t=to stop, resist]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It is related to Old Norse [[m|non|stama|t=to stammer]] (see [[stammer]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) and Etymonline derives it from PIE [[ine-pro|*stem-|t=to strike against]]; it is not considered connected with [[stem#1]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To delay, hesitate or stop: before 1325 in ''Cursor Mundi'' in Barnhart, the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive sense, to stop or tarry, is obsolete.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) To stop the flow of something, to check or dam up, liquid or speech, is from the mid-14th century, probably before 1350 in Barnhart.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''To stem the tide'' belongs here.^(Etymonline) In skiing, to stem is to turn the tip or tail of a ski outward to slow or turn, after German stemmen.^(SOED 2002)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1325 – to stop, delay.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1350 – to dam up, check.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stop or hold back the flow of; to [[check]]: ''to stem the bleeding''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(skiing)'' To turn the tip or heel of a ski outward to slow down or turn.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stand]]

+ * [[stammer]]

+ * [[stern]]

+ * [[staff]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}