# stay vs stem

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### stay
*verb · IPA /steɪ/ · frequency rank #473*
To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.

### stem
*noun · IPA /stɛm/ · frequency rank #4,336*
The stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stay-vs-stem