linguistics - the scientific study of language

descriptor, form, signifier, word form - the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something; "the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached"

gynophore - the stalk of a pistil that raises it above the receptacle

carpophore - a slender stalk that furnishes an axis for a carpel

filament - the stalk of a stamen

funicle, funiculus - the stalk of a plant ovule or seed

petiolule - the stalk of a leaflet

cane - a strong slender often flexible stem as of bamboos, reeds, rattans, or sugar cane

plant organ - a functional and structural unit of a plant or fungus

sporangiophore - stalk bearing one or more sporangia

cutting, slip - a part (sometimes a root or leaf or bud) removed from a plant to propagate a new plant through rooting or grafting

tuber - a fleshy underground stem or root serving for reproductive and food storage

rhizome, rootstalk, rootstock - a horizontal plant stem with shoots above and roots below serving as a reproductive structure

axis - the main stem or central part about which plant organs or plant parts such as branches are arranged

caudex - woody stem of palms and tree ferns

internode - a segment of a stem between two nodes

beanstalk - stem of a bean plant

cladode, cladophyll, phylloclad, phylloclade - a flattened stem resembling and functioning as a leaf

receptacle - enlarged tip of a stem that bears the floral parts

caudex, stock - persistent thickened stem of a herbaceous perennial plant

stipe - supporting stalk or stemlike structure especially of a pistil or fern frond or supporting a mushroom cap

flower stalk, scape - erect leafless flower stalk growing directly from the ground as in a tulip

leafstalk, petiole - the slender stem that supports the blade of a leaf

bulb - a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure

corm - solid swollen underground bulb-shaped stem or stem base and serving as a reproductive structure

branch - a division of a stem, or secondary stem arising from the main stem of a plant

culm - stem of plants of the Gramineae

halm, haulm - stems of beans and peas and potatoes and grasses collectively as used for thatching and bedding

tree trunk, trunk, bole - the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber

anchor, ground tackle - a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving

handgrip, handle, grip, hold - the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it; "he grabbed the hammer by the handle"; "it was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip"

key - metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated

nail - a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener

pin - a small slender (often pointed) piece of wood or metal used to support or fasten or attach things

wineglass - a glass that has a stem and in which wine is served

cylinder - a surface generated by rotating a parallel line around a fixed line

pipe, tobacco pipe - a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco

tube, tubing - conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases

front - the side that is seen or that goes first

vessel, watercraft - a craft designed for water transportation

turning, turn - the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course; "he took a turn to the right"

originate in - come from

orient - cause to point; "Orient the house towards the West"

check - arrest the motion (of something) abruptly; "He checked the flow of water by shutting off the main valve"

remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, taking off, etc. or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment"