stem has definitions from the fields of nautical,linguistics,botany
1
[ noun ] (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed

Examples

"thematic vowels are part of the stem"

Used in print

(Hugh Kelly and Ted Ziehe, "Glossary Lookup Made Easy"...)

The many linguistic techniques for reducing the amount of dictionary information that have been proposed all organize the dictionary 's contents around prefixes , stems , suffixes , etc. .

For_example , the inflected forms of a word can be represented , insofar as regular inflection allows , by a stem and a set of endings to be attached .

(A.L. Kroeber, "Semantic Contribution of Lexicostatistic...)

There are more stems per item in Athabascan , which expresses the fact that the Athabascan languages have undergone somewhat more change in diverging from proto Athabascan than the Yokuts languages from proto Yokuts .

The differentiation however is not very_much greater , as shown by the fact that Athabascan shows 3.46 stems per meaning slot as against 2.75 for Yokuts , with a slightly greater number of languages represented in our sample : 24 as against 21 .

( On deduction of one-eighth from 3.46 , the stem / item rate becomes 3.03 against 2.75 in equivalent number of languages . )

Related terms

form linguistics

2
[ verb ] grow out of, have roots in, originate in

Examples

"The increase in the national debt stems from the last war"

Used in print

(Chicago Daily Tribune...)

But barring a miracle , and do n't hold your breath for it , Chicago will not see the Leningrad-Kirov_Ballet , which stems from the ballet cradle of the Maryinsky and is one of the great companies of the world .

(Frank Oppenheimer, "Science and Fear-- A Discussion...)

In_fact , insofar as science generates any fear , it stems not so much from scientific prowess and gadgets but from the fact that new unanswered questions arise , which , until they are understood , create uncertainty .

(W. E. B. DuBois, Worlds of Color....)

And_then the Amen_corner took_hold , re-enacting a form of group_participation in worship that stemmed from years before the Greek_chorus , spreading down through the African forest , overseas to the West_Indies , and then here in Alabama .

(Leo Lemon, "Catch Up With" and "Something to...)

For_example , probably very few people know that the word `` visrhanik '' that is bantered about so much today stems from the verb `` bouanahsha '' : to salivate .

Related terms

originate_in root

3
[ noun ] (botany) a slender or elongated structure that supports a plant or fungus or a plant part or plant organ

Synonyms

stalk

Used in print

(A. N. Nagaraj and L. M. Black, "Localization of...)

In attempting to improve specificity of staining , the fluorescein labeled antisera used in both direct and indirect methods were treated in one of several ways : ( 1 ) They were passed_through Dowex-2-chloride twice and treated with acetone insoluble powders ( Coons , 1958 ) prepared from mouse liver or from healthy sweet_clover stems or crown_gall tissue produced by Agrobacterium_tumefaciens ( E._F._Smith + Townsend ) Conn , on sweet_clover stems .

In attempting to improve specificity of staining , the fluorescein labeled antisera used in both direct and indirect methods were treated in one of several ways : ( 1 ) They were passed_through Dowex-2-chloride twice and treated with acetone insoluble powders ( Coons , 1958 ) prepared from mouse liver or from healthy sweet_clover stems or crown_gall tissue produced by Agrobacterium_tumefaciens ( E._F._Smith + Townsend ) Conn , on sweet_clover stems .

( 2 ) The conjugates as_well_as the intermediate sera were absorbed for 30_minutes with 20 - 50 mg of proteins extracted from healthy sweet_clover stems .

Root and stem tumors from sweet_clover plants infected with WTV were quick-frozen in liquid_nitrogen , embedded in ice , and cut at 3 - 6 � m in a cryostat maintained at - 16 ` to - 20 ` .

Sections of sweet_clover stem and root tumors were treated with 1 : 10 solution of * * f for 30_minutes , washed in buffered saline for 15_minutes , stained with * * f for 30_minutes , and washed for 15_minutes in PBS .

4
[ noun ] cylinder forming a long narrow part of something

Synonyms

shank

Used in print

(Breni James, Nights of the Kill....)

He sucked_in his breath and kept quiet while Killpath laid down the sheet again , wound the gold wire stems of his glasses around his ears and_then , eying the report as it lay before him on the desk , intoned , `` Acting_Lieutenant_Gunnar_Matson one failed to see that the station_keeper was properly relieved two absented himself throughout the entire watch without checking on the station 's activities or the whereabouts of his section sergeants three permitted members of the Homicide_Detail of the Inspector's_Bureau to arrogate for their own convenience a patrolman who was thereby prevented from carrying_on his proper assignment four failed to notify the station commander Acting_Captain_O._T._Killpath of a homicide occurring in the district five frequented extralegal establishments known_as after-hours spots for purposes of an unofficial and purportedly social nature and six '' - he leaned_back and peeled_off his glasses `` - failed to co-operate with the Acting_Captain by returning promptly when so ordered .

5
[ verb ] remove the stem from

Examples

"for automatic natural language processing, the words must be stemmed"

Related terms

remove stemmer

6
[ verb ] cause to point inward

Examples

"stem your skis"

Related terms

orient stem_turn

7
[ noun ] a turn made in skiing; the back of one ski is forced outward and the other ski is brought parallel to it

Synonyms

stem_turn

Related terms

turn

8
[ verb ] as of the flow of a liquid flowing, such as blood from a wound

Synonyms

staunch halt stanch

Related terms

check stop

9
[ noun ] the tube of a tobacco pipe

Related terms

tube pipe

10
[ noun ] Last name, frequency rank in the U.S. is 17968
11
[ noun ] (nautical) front part of a vessel or aircraft

Synonyms

bow prow fore

Examples

"he pointed the bow of the boat toward the finish line"

Related terms

front vessel

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