Stern has 11 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
the rear part of a ship
"The captain stood on the stern to give orders as the ship pulled away from the dock."
United States concert violinist (born in Russia in 1920)
"The stern, born in Russia in 1920, became a celebrated US concert violinist known for his powerful interpretations of the repertoire."
the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
"he deserves a good kick in the butt"
"are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?"
The rear part or after end of a ship or vessel.
"We spotted a stern skimming low over the marsh during our morning walk."
A bird, the black tern.
In plain English: A stern is the flat, bottom part of a boat that cuts through the water to help it move forward.
"The stern of the boat was made of dark wood and looked strong against the waves."
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
"grim determination"
"grim necessity"
"Russia's final hour, it seemed, approached with inexorable certainty"
"relentless persecution"
"the stern demands of parenthood"
Having a hardness and severity of nature or manner.
"The stern captain refused to let any passengers on board during the storm."
In plain English: Stern means being very strict and serious, especially when you are not smiling or showing any warmth to others.
"The teacher gave him stern looks when he talked during class."
Usage: Use stern to describe someone with an unyielding, serious demeanor rather than simply being strict. Avoid confusing this adjective with the noun form referring to the back section of a boat.
A surname.
"Captain Stern arrived at the docks to inspect his crew's manifest."
The word "stern" comes from the Middle English sterne, which originally meant grave or severe. Its roots trace back to a Proto-Indo-European base meaning rigid, evolving through Old English and Germanic languages before entering modern usage with its current sense of strictness.