Pronunciation: /stɛm/
noun the main body or stalk of a plant or shrub, typically rising above ground but occasionally subterranean
A1 Plants have a stem that supports the leaves and flowers.
A2 The stem of the tree was strong and sturdy.
B1 Scientists are studying the stem cells in the human body.
B2 The stem of the wine glass was delicate and elegant.
C1 The stem of the issue lies in the lack of communication between departments.
C2 The stem of the problem can be traced back to a misunderstanding that occurred months ago.
verb to stop or restrict (the flow of a liquid)
A1 Plants stem from seeds.
A2 She stems her anger by taking deep breaths.
B1 The increase in sales can be stemmed from the new marketing campaign.
B2 Efforts to stem the spread of the virus have been successful.
C1 His research stemmed from a desire to understand the origins of the universe.
C2 The government implemented policies to stem the rise in inflation.
formal The study focused on the growth patterns of plant stems.
informal She loves to pick flowers with long stems.
slang I can't believe how much that new phone case cost, it's just a piece of plastic with a cool stem.
figurative The stem of the issue lies in miscommunication between the two parties.
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