stationary
stationary Lexical Profile
stationary Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Not moving or not intended to be moved; fixed in one place.
"The commuter train remained stationary at the platform for twenty minutes due to a signal failure."
Not changing in quantity, value, condition, or rate of development.
"After decades of rapid expansion, the country's population has remained relatively stationary over the past five years."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse the adjective "stationary" (not moving or changing) with its homophone, the noun "stationery" (writing materials such as paper, envelopes, and pens).
• Rhymes for stationary
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Latin stationarius, meaning "belonging to a military post or station," from statio ("a standing still"). Both "stationary" and "stationery" share this root, as stationers were originally booksellers who operated from fixed stalls rather than traveling as peddlers.