What is the meaning of stem?

noun

• Linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed. (
  • usage: "thematic vowels are part of the stem"
  • synonyms: root, root word, base, theme, radical
• A slender or elongated structure that supports a plant or fungus or a plant part or plant organ.
  • synonyms: stalk
• Cylinder forming a long narrow part of something.
  • synonyms: shank
• The tube of a tobacco pipe.
• Front part of a vessel or aircraft.
  • usage: "he pointed the bow of the boat toward the finish line"
  • synonyms: bow, fore, prow
• 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

verb

• Grow out of, have roots in, originate in.
  • usage: "The increase in the national debt stems from the last war"
• Cause to point inward.
  • usage: "stem your skis"
• Stop the flow of a liquid.
  • usage: "staunch the blood flow"; "stem the tide"
  • synonyms: stanch, staunch, halt
• Remove the stem from.
  • usage: "for automatic natural language processing, the words must be stemmed"