# steam vs stem

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### steam
*noun · IPA /stiːm/ · frequency rank #2,918*
The hot gaseous form of water, formed when water changes from the liquid phase to the gas phase (at or above its boiling point temperature).

### 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/steam-vs-stem