Main Entry: sta·sis

Pronunciation: \ˈstā-səs, ˈsta-\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural sta·ses \ˈstā-ˌsēz, ˈsta-\

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek, act or condition of standing, stopping, from histasthai to stand — more at stand

Date: 1745

1 : a slowing or stoppage of the normal flow of a bodily fluid or semifluid: as a : slowing of the current of circulating blood b : reduced motility of the intestines with retention of feces
2 a : a state of static balance or equilibrium : stagnation b : a state or period of stability during which little or no evolutionary change in a lineage occurs