stover
stover
UK[ˈstəʊvə]US[ˈstoʊvər]
n
The dried stalks and leaves of a cereal crop (such as corn or sorghum) that remain after the grain has been harvested, used chiefly as fodder for livestock or for bedding.
Etymology
The word 'stover' entered Middle English from the Anglo-Norman term 'estover', which itself derived from Old French 'estovoir', meaning 'to be necessary'. This Old French verb originated from the Vulgar Latin 'estopēre', an alteration of the Latin 'stuppāre', meaning 'to stop up with tow or oakum'. The semantic journey is one of functional necessity: from the general concept of a necessary supply or provision, the term specialized in English agricultural usage to refer specifically to the necessary winter fodder—the dried stalks and leaves—left in the fields for cattle after the harvest. This evolution reflects the word's anchoring in the practical realities of medieval farming life, where such leftover plant matter was an essential resource.
Analysis
The word 'stover' is a simplex noun of Anglo-Norman origin. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English.
Examples
After the corn was picked, the farmer collected the stover to feed his cattle through the winter.
Modern biofuel research explores converting agricultural stover into cellulosic ethanol.
Using stover as bedding in the barn provides a dry and absorbent layer for the animals.