stationary
gb/stˈeɪʃənˌɛɹi/ us/stˈeɪʃənˌɛɹi/
B1
Anglais
~ 9900
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
Not moving; motionless
Not moving; staying in one place.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is/remains stationary
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often confuse 'stationary' (not moving) with 'stationery' (paper, pens, etc.) because they sound the same. Another mistake is using 'stationary' as a noun (*I bought a stationary*), which is wrong; it is an adjective and must describe a noun (*a stationary car*). Learners also sometimes overuse 'stationary' where simple 'still' sounds more natural in everyday speech (e.g. *I am still* instead of *I am stationary*).
Synonymes
motionless (Often suggests a complete lack of movement, while 'stationary' can also mean fixed in place even if small movements happen inside.)
|
still (More common in everyday speech, especially about people, animals, or water; can also mean 'quiet' or 'calm'.)
Antonymes
moving (Directly describes being in motion, the opposite of not moving.)
|
mobile (Able to move or be moved, the opposite of being fixed in one place.)
Collocations
remain stationary
|stay stationary
|keep [something] stationary
|almost stationary
|stationary car
|stationary object
Thèmes
daily life
|movement
|transport
|core_vocabulary
|space
Exemples
- The cars were stationary for almost an hour in the traffic jam.
- Please keep the camera stationary while I take the photo.
- The train remained stationary at the platform because of a technical problem.
- A stationary bike lets you exercise indoors without going anywhere.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The bus is stationary at the stop.
- He stood stationary while the dog ran around him.
- Please keep your head stationary during the eye test.
- The ball stayed stationary on the floor.
adjective
technical
C1
property
2
Not changing over time (technical)
In science or math, not changing over time in its main numbers or pattern.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is stationary
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think this technical sense always means 'not moving in space', but here it means 'not changing over time' in numbers or patterns. It is mainly used in statistics, physics, and similar fields, not in everyday talk about people or objects.
Synonymes
stable (Suggests not changing or varying; broader and less technical than 'stationary' in this sense.)
|
steady (Means regular and unchanging, but is more general and less precise than the technical term 'stationary'.)
Antonymes
variable (Describes something that changes over time, the direct opposite of stationary in this technical sense.)
|
dynamic (Emphasizes active change or development over time, contrasting with unchanging properties.)
Collocations
stationary process
|stationary distribution
|stationary state
|stationary population
|stationary series
|stationary point
Thèmes
science
|statistics
|physics
|mathematics
|time
Exemples
- The model assumes a stationary process, where the mean and variance do not change over time.
- In a stationary population, birth rates and death rates are in long-term balance.
- The researcher checked whether the time series was stationary before running the test.
- The system eventually reaches a stationary state in which its overall properties stay constant.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The professor asked if the data were stationary or changing over time.
- The teacher explained that a stationary process has the same pattern at all times.
- The graph is not stationary because its average value keeps going up.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
stationary
API
GB/stˈeɪʃənˌɛɹi/
US/stˈeɪʃənˌɛɹi/
Syllabes et accentuation
sta - tion - ary (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (sta)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: stationary
Famille de mots
Core family
station
noun A1
Related words
stationery
noun B1
Expressions
remain stationary
1/ɹɪmˈeɪn stˈeɪʃənˌɛɹi/
fixed phrase
Continue to stay still
To stay in the same place without moving.
Exemples
- During the earthquake, we were told to remain stationary and protect our heads.
- The boats remained stationary on the calm water.
- The traffic lights turned green, but one car remained stationary.
stationary bike
1/stˈeɪʃənˌɛɹi bˈaɪk/
fixed phrase
Exercise bicycle that does not move
A bicycle you use for exercise that stays in one place and does not move along the road.
Exemples
- She rides a stationary bike at the gym for thirty minutes every morning.
- I bought a stationary bike so I can work out at home.
- The physical therapist asked him to warm up on the stationary bike.