stationary

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: sta=tion=ar=y

CIDE DICTIONARY

stationary, a. [L. stationarius: cf. F. stationnaire. Cf. Stationer.].

•  Not moving; not appearing to move; stable; fixed.  [1913 Webster]

  "Charles Wesley, who is a more stationary man, does not believe the story."  [1913 Webster]
•  Not improving or getting worse; not growing wiser, greater, better, more excellent, or the contrary.  [1913 Webster]
•  Appearing to be at rest, because moving in the line of vision; not progressive or retrograde, as a planet.  [1913 Webster]

Stationary air (Physiol.), the air which under ordinary circumstances does not leave the lungs in respiration. -- Stationary engine. (a) A steam engine that is permanently placed, in distinction from a portable engine, locomotive, marine engine, etc. Specifically: (b) A factory engine, in distinction from a blowing, pumping, or other kind of engine which is also permanently placed.

stationary, n. 

 One who, or that which, is stationary, as a planet when apparently it has neither progressive nor retrograde motion.  Holland.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stationary, adj.
1 remaining in one place, not moving (hit a stationary car).
2 not meant to be moved; not portable (stationary troops; stationary engine).
3 not changing in magnitude, number, quality, efficiency, etc. (stationary temperature).
4 (of a planet) having no apparent motion in longitude.

Idiom

stationary air air remaining in the lungs during ordinary respiration. stationary bicycle a fixed exercise-machine resembling a bicycle. stationary point Math. a point on a curve where the gradient is zero. stationary wave = standing wave.

Derivative

stationariness n.

Etymology

ME f. L stationarius (as STATION)

THESAURUS

stationary

abiding, adamant, adamantine, at a standstill, at anchor, changeless, constant, contemplative, continuing, dead-still, do-nothing, dormant, durable, enduring, firm, fixed, frozen, idle, immobile, immotile, immotive, immovable, immutable, inactive, inert, inflexible, intact, inviolate, irremovable, laissez-aller, laissez-faire, lasting, meditative, motionless, moveless, neuter, neutral, out of commission, paralytic, paralyzed, passive, pat, permanent, perpetual, persistent, procrastinating, quiescent, quietist, quietistic, remaining, riding at anchor, rigid, sedentary, solid, stable, stagnant, stagnating, standpat, static, statuelike, staying, steadfast, still, stock-still, sustained, torpid, unactive, unaltered, unchangeable, unchanged, unchanging, unchecked, undestroyed, unemployed, unfading, unfailing, unmovable, unmoved, unmoving, unshifting, unvaried, unvarying, unyielding, vegetable, vegetative

ROGET THESAURUS

stationary

Permanence

N permanence, stability, quiescence, obstinacy, permanence, persistence, endurance, durability, standing, status quo, maintenance, preservation, conservation, conservation, law of the Medes and Persians, standing dish, stable, persisting, permanent, established, unchanged &c (change), renewed, intact, inviolate, persistent, monotonous, uncheckered, unfailing, undestroyed, unrepealed, unsuppressed, conservative, qualis ab incepto, prescriptive, stationary, in statu quo, for good, finally, at a stand, at a standstill, uti possidetis, without a shadow of turning, esto perpetua, nolumus leges Angliae mutari, j'y suis et j'y ereste.

Quiescence

N quiescence, rest, stillness, quiescence, stagnation, stagnancy, fixity, immobility, catalepsy, indisturbance, quietism, quiet, tranquility, calm, repose, peace, dead calm, anticyclone, statue-like repose, silence, not a breath of air, not a mouse stirring, sleep, pause, lull, stand still, standing still, lock, dead lock, dead stop, dead stand, full stop, fix, embargo, resting place, gite, bivouac, home, pillow, haven, goal, quiescent, still, motionless, moveless, fixed, stationary, immotile, at rest at a stand, at a standstill, at anchor, stock, still, standing still, sedentary, untraveled, stay-at-home, becalmed, stagnant, quiet, unmoved, undisturbed, unruffled, calm, restful, cataleptic, immovable, sleeping, silent, still as a statue, still as a post, still as a mouse, still as death, vegetative, vegetating, at a stand, tout court, at the halt, Int, stop!, stay!, avast!, halt!, hold hard!, whoa!, hold!, sabr karo!, requiescat in pace, Deus nobis haec otia fecit, the noonday quiet holds the hill.