stemma Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a tree diagram showing a reconstruction of the transmission of manuscripts of a literary work
  2. noun the descendants of one individual
    lineage; pedigree; parentage; descent; bloodline; ancestry; blood; line; stock; line of descent; origin; blood line.
    • his entire lineage has been warriors
  3. noun an eye having a single lens
    simple eye; ocellus.

WordNet

Stem"ma noun
Etymology
NL., fr. Gr. , pl. , a garland or chaplet.
Wordforms
plural Stemmata
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the ocelli of an insect. See Ocellus. (b) One of the facets of a compound eye of any arthropod.

Webster 1913