Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of stem

10 similar words · 3 opposite words

Another word for stem is fore. Other synonyms of stem are tail, virgula, bow, forestem and prow. The opposite of stem is stern.

Synonyms and similar words for stem

nounA vertical stroke marking the length of a note in written music.

  • tailThe part of a note which runs perpendicularly upward or downward from the head; the stem.
  • virgula obsoleteSynonym of stem: the tail of a note.

nounThe front part of a vessel.

  • bowThe front of a boat or ship.
  • foreThe front part of a vessel.
  • forestemThe front part of a vessel.
  • prowThe front part of a vessel.
  • beakThat part of a ship, before the forecastle, which is fastened to the stem, and supported by the main knee.
  • proreThe front part of a ship.

verbTo be caused or derived; to originate.

  • to be due to
  • to arise from

Opposite of stem

nounThe front part of a vessel.

  • sternThe rear part (after end) of a ship or other vessel.
  • aft
  • poopThe rear part (after end) of a ship or other vessel.

Meaning of stem

  1. noun The stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.
  2. noun A branch of a family.
  3. noun A branch, or group of branches, located outside a family or other cladistic group, but which is more closely related to that group than to any other taxon of the same rank.

Full definition of stem

stem in other languages

Questions about synonyms of stem

What is another word for stem?
Stem has 10 synonyms on Word.ws, such as fore, tail, virgula, bow, forestem, prow, beak and prore.
What is the opposite of stem?
The opposite of stem is stern.
What does stem mean?
Stem means the stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: stem (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of stem.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/stem. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.