stationary

adjective

sta·​tion·​ary ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē 

1

: fixed in a station, course, or mode : immobile

2

: unchanging in condition

a stationary population

Did you know?

stationary or stationery?

The Internet is awash with mnemonics (“something (such as a word, a sentence, or a song) that helps people remember something“) designed to assist those who have trouble distinguishing between two similar words. A fair share of these turn out to be for the words stationery and stationary. The most commonly suggested method is to remember that you buy papER at a stationERy store. If this trick does not work for you, then perhaps it will help to remember that a stationery store is one that is run by a stationer. This word was originally applied to a bookseller, but by the middle of the 17th century it began to be used for a person who sells papers, pens, and office goods.

Synonyms

• immobile
• nonmoving
• standing
• static

Examples of stationary in a Sentence

Einstein imagined a beam of light piercing the elevator. If the elevator were rising relative to the source of light, the beam would enter at a certain height on one side of the elevator and appear to curve on its way to a lower height on the opposite wall. Einstein then imagined that the elevator were stationary on the surface of the earth. Since he postulated that the two circumstances are the same, Einstein concluded that the same effect would have to hold true for both. In other words, gravity must bend light. —Smithsonian, June 2005

By pushing the keys with the side of his fist and pushing foot pedals, the player transfers mechanical force to clappers, which strike the stationary bells, which are tuned to specific notes. —Douglas Martin, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2003

And while atomic reactors and chemical storage facilities are the sort of stationary targets that invite bombing, bioweapons laboratory materials are small enough to be put in a truck and moved to another location. —Gregg Easterbrook, New Republic, 25 Feb. 2002

The weather front has remained stationary over the Southeast.

a stationary bicycle is good for exercise, but you won't enjoy the scenery very much

Recent Examples on the Web

The Ford vehicle collided with a Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Prius, both of which were stationary in travel lanes on I-95 and were struck from behind, according to NTSB. —Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 12 Apr. 2024

Posters, games, stationary, accessories and merch are also sold on-site. —Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Smith launched the business out of a stationary food trailer on the corner of South Main Street and Vickery Boulevard just weeks before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. —Jenny Rudolph, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2024

This stationary model has included wheels for better maneuverability. —Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024

The Natural Resources Defense Council called for judicial review, saying the law required that parts of a plant, as opposed to the plant as whole, had to be regulated separately as stationary sources if their emissions were big enough to qualify. —Clive Crook, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2024

Tornado movement can range from virtually stationary to more than 60 miles per hour. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 Apr. 2024

Meanwhile, the ship remains stationary, and its 21 crew members remain on board for the foreseeable future, officials said. —TIME, 1 Apr. 2024

Other changes — purchasing new flags, badges and stationary — will require less time to implement and will largely be covered by department budgets. —Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see station entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stationary

• stationary bicycle
• stationary front
• stationary wave

Kids Definition

stationary

adjective

sta·​tion·​ary ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē 

1

: fixed in a station, course, or position : immobile

a stationary loudspeaker

2

: unchanging in condition

a stationary population

Medical Definition

stationary

adjective

sta·​tion·​ary ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē 

1

: fixed in position : not moving

2

: characterized by a lack of change

the patient's condition remained stationary