stemma

A noun with multiple meanings: it can refer to a tree diagram reconstructing the transmission of manuscripts of a literary work, the descendants of a single individual, or an eye with a single lens.

• 🇫🇷Nom avec plusieurs sens : peut désigner un diagramme en forme d'arbre reconstituant la transmission des manuscrits d'une œuvre littéraire, les descendants d'une même personne, ou un œil simple à une seule lentille.

1. Manuscript genealogy C2 formal

   A diagram, often tree-shaped, that illustrates the historical relationships and transmission of different manuscript versions of a literary work.

   • The scholar constructed a detailed stemma to trace the origins of the medieval poem.
   • By analyzing the stemma, they identified the most authentic version of the text.
   • The stemma revealed a lost branch of the manuscript tradition.

   🇫🇷Stemma codicum

   Synonymes: family treepedigree

2. Lineage or descent C2 formal scientific

   All the descendants of a single ancestor, considered as a group.

   • The entire stemma of the royal family was documented in the archives.
   • The genetic study traced the stemma of the ancient population.
   • The stemma of the species shows a clear branching pattern.

   🇫🇷Lignée ou descendance

   Synonymes: ancestrybloodlinedescentextractionfamily treefiliationgenealogylinelineageparentagepedigreestock

3. Simple eye C2 formal scientific

   A type of eye with a single lens, found in some invertebrates, as opposed to a compound eye.

   • The insect's stemma detects light but does not form a clear image.
   • Larvae often have a stemma on each side of the head.
   • The function of the stemma is to sense changes in light intensity.

   🇫🇷œil simple

   Synonymes: ocellussimple eye

• stemmas plural form
• stemmata plural form
• stemmas' possessive plural form
• stemmata's possessive plural form
• stemma's possessive singular form