stropem

Stropem is the instrumental singular form of the Polish noun strop. Strop has several related meanings in Polish. The most common is a strap or belt—a flexible strip of leather or other material used to secure or lash objects, or as part of equipment such as a harness. The word also designates a lash or whip used for corporal punishment, especially in historical contexts. A specialized sense refers to a leather strop used to sharpen blades; in shaving terminology, a strop is the leather strap attached to a strop to hone razors.

The form stropem appears in sentences where the means or instrument is described, indicating the instrument with which an action is performed. The term is of Slavic origin; the exact etymology is uncertain, with cognates appearing in related Slavic languages.

In modern Polish, strop is primarily used in the sense of a strap or tool accessory, while stropem is the grammatical form used to indicate the instrument or means by which an action is performed. The word is most commonly encountered in formal, historical, or technical contexts, such as descriptions of grooming tools (razor strop) or accounts of old corporal punishment practices.