stub

1 of 2

noun

ˈstəb 

1

a

: stump sense 2

b

: a short piece remaining on a stem or trunk where a branch has been lost

2

: something made or worn to a short or blunt shape

especially : a pen with a short blunt nib

3

: a short blunt part left after a larger part has been broken off or used up

a pencil stub

4

: something cut short or stunted

5

a

: a small part of a leaf (as of a checkbook) attached to the spine for memoranda of the contents of the part torn away

b

: the part of a ticket returned to the user

stub

2 of 2

verb

stubbed; stubbing

transitive verb

1

a

: to grub up by the roots

b

: to clear (land) by grubbing out rooted growth

c

: to hew or cut down (a tree) close to the ground

2

: to extinguish (something, such as a cigarette) by crushing

3

: to strike (one's foot or toe) against an object

Synonyms

Noun

• end
• fag end
• leftover
• oddment
• remainder
• remnant
• scrap

Examples of stub in a Sentence

Noun

Hold onto your ticket stub in case you leave the theater and want to come back in again.

an ashtray full of cigarette stubs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If drivers choose to submit the information by mail, customers must include the detachable stub from the notification letter, proof of liability insurance and/or reinstatement fee payment to the DMV. —Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 21 June 2024

Memories of peace lilies and bamboo plants, cigarette stubs and photographs of Peruvian friends, indigenous artwork, and hundreds of vinyl albums that were scratched up by our old cat Lulu. —Quetzal Maucci, TIME, 17 June 2024

Verb

By Theunis Bates published 25 June 2024 Vivek Murthy wants the government to stub out social media use by kids. —Theunis Bates, theweek, 25 June 2024

The Dodgers did threaten to come back, but stubbed their toe too many times down the stretch. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stubb, from Old English stybb; akin to Old Norse stūfr stump, Greek stypos stem

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing stub

• pay stub
• stub one's toe

Kids Definition

stub

1 of 2 noun

ˈstəb 

1

: stump entry 1 sense 2

2

: a pen with a short blunt point

3

: a short part left after a larger part has been broken off or used up

a pencil stub

4

a

: a small part of a check kept as a record of the contents of the check

b

: the part of a ticket returned to the user

stub

2 of 2 verb

stubbed; stubbing

1

: to put out (as a cigarette) by crushing

2

: to strike (as one's toe) against an object