# stem vs stub

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### stub
*noun · IPA /stʌb/ · frequency rank #26,270*
Something blunted, stunted, or cut short, such as stubble or a stump.

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