stationary

The word *stationary can be a little confusing at first. It describes something that is not moving or is staying in one place. A statue in a park, a parked car, or a house can all be stationary. It is often confused with its homophone, stationery (spelled with an "e"), which means paper, pens, envelopes, and other writing supplies. To keep them straight, think of a train station: trains come and go, but the station stays stationary*. Whether you are riding a stationary bike at the gym or watching a stationary weather front, you are talking about something that is still.

The word *stationary is an adjective used to describe anything that is not moving or is fixed in one place. It comes from the Latin word stationarius* and is related to the word "station," which gives the sense of staying in one spot. You might picture a lighthouse standing stationary against the waves, or a ship held stationary in a harbor by a heavy anchor. It can also describe something that is not changing, such as a stationary population or a stationary price level.

The main difficulty with this word is its identical-sounding twin: *stationery. They are pronounced the same, but stationery refers to writing materials such as paper, cards, envelopes, and letterheads. A simple trick is to remember that stationery is for envelopes and letters, both of which use the letter "e." Stationary*, on the other hand, is about staying still. Keeping that small spelling clue in mind can help you choose the right word every time.