# stem vs system

> 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.

### system
*noun · IPA /ˈsɪstəm/ · frequency rank #249*
A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.

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