(stem) noun
1. The ascending axis or stalk of a plant, as distinguished from the descending axis or root; the main body or stalk of a tree, shrub, or other plant, rising above the ground or other rooting place.
2. The relatively slender growth supporting the fruit, flower, or leaf of a plant; a stalk, peduncle, pedicel, or petiole. ♦ Collateral adjective: cauline.
3. A bunch of bananas.
4. The main line of descendants from a particular ancestor.
5. An ethnic line; race.
6. The long, slender, usually cylindrical portion of an instrument: a pipe stem.
7. The slender upright support of a goblet, wineglass, vase, etc.
8. A shaft, as of a hair or feather.
9. In a watch, the small projecting rod used for winding the mainspring.
10. In some locks, the central circular part about which the key turns.
11. Printing The upright stroke of a type face or letter.
12. Music The line attached to the head of a written musical note.
13. Ling. The element common to all the members of a given inflection or related groups of words. A stem often consists of more than one morpheme, as the Latin stem luci– “light” in lucifer “light–bearer” is composed of the root luc– plus the thematic vowel –i–.
14. Electr. The air–sealed, tubular glass section at the base of an incandescent lamp, serving to lead the filaments into the evacuated bulb. See illustration under INCANDESCENT.
—v. stemmed, stem·ming v.t.
1. To remove the stems of or from.
2. To supply with stems.
—v.i.
3. To be descended or derived: to stem from John Alden. [OE stemm, stemn, stæfn stem of a tree, prow of a ship]
—stem′less adjective

(stem) noun Naut.
1. A nearly upright timber or metal piece uniting the two sides of a vessel at the fore–end.
2. The bow or prow of a vessel.
—from stem to stern From end to end; hence, thoroughly.
—v. stemmed, stem·ming v.t.
1. To resist or make progress against, as a current: said of a vessel.
2. To stand firm or make progress against (any opposing force): to stem the tide of public opinion.
3. To strike with the stem (of a vessel). [<STEM¹, in obs. sense “a tree trunk”]

(stem) v.t. stemmed, stem·ming
1. To stop, hold back, or dam up, as a current; stanch.
2. To make tight, as a joint; to plug. [<ON stemma stop]