stationary

Everyday

1. Stationary means not moving, standing still: "a stationary car". tree →
2. Stationary can mean not changing: "the number of pupils stayed stationary". tree →

In the lessons

In science and maths lessons on movement, a stationary object has a speed of zero; on a distance–time graph, a flat line shows the object is stationary. In road safety, "never walk behind a stationary bus" because it may move. Phrases: remain stationary, stationary vehicle, stationary bike.

Examples

• The car was stationary at the red light. tree →
• A stationary object has a speed of zero. tree →
• On the graph, the flat part shows when the cyclist was stationary. tree →
• Mum rides a stationary bike at the gym. tree →
• Keep the camera stationary to take a clear photo. tree →
• The train stayed stationary for ten minutes. tree →
• He therefore brought her to Delos, a floating island in the AEgean Sea, which he made stationary by attaching it with chains of adamant to the bottom of the sea. tree →

Note

Big spelling trap: stationary (with -ary) means not moving; stationery (with -ery) means paper, pens and envelopes. Memory trick: stationEry has "E" for envelopes; stationAry has "A" for "at a standstill".