The word stalk has two different meanings:

1. To follow or watch someone persistently in a way that feels threatening or unwanted. Someone who stalks another person might show up wherever they go, watch their house, or constantly try to contact them even after being told to stop. This behavior is illegal because it makes people feel unsafe.
2. The main stem of a plant that holds up leaves and flowers. A celery stalk is the long, crunchy part you eat. Corn grows on tall stalks that can reach over six feet high. The stalk of a flower connects the bloom to the roots, carrying water and nutrients upward. When you pick flowers, you're holding them by their stalks.

The word can also mean to walk in a stiff, proud, or angry way, like when someone stalks out of a room after an argument. A cat might stalk its prey by moving slowly and carefully, staying low to the ground before pouncing.