Foundation level · Year 4 · free
stem
noun · Say it: STEM
What it means
Foundationthe long thin main part of a plant that holds up its leaves and flowers
Ruby cut the stems of the tulips before putting them in a vase.
Similar and opposite words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- shoot
- stalk
- stock
More examples
- The sunflower's stem grew taller than Granddad by the end of summer.
Where the word comes from
It comes from the Old English word stemn, meaning the trunk of a tree.
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One question about “stem”, the way 11+ papers ask it (Foundation level).