Stationary vs stationery
Did you order the office stationary? Not unless you were somehow ordering your work place to stand still.
Stationary means not moving or having a fixed position as in 'the train was stationary at the platform'. The adjective stationary can also mean established in one place and not migratory as in 'the population of Bogmore was stationary'. A third meaning is remaining in the same condition or state. The word comes from the Latin stationarius – ‘belonging to a military station’ - and from statio - ‘standing’.
Stationery means writing and other office materials. A good way to remember the correct spelling of the noun for writing supplies is to think of the ‘e’ for envelopes being in stationery.
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Stationary means not moving or having a fixed position as in 'the train was stationary at the platform'. The adjective stationary can also mean established in one place and not migratory as in 'the population of Bogmore was stationary'. A third meaning is remaining in the same condition or state. The word comes from the Latin stationarius – ‘belonging to a military station’ - and from statio - ‘standing’.
Stationery means writing and other office materials. A good way to remember the correct spelling of the noun for writing supplies is to think of the ‘e’ for envelopes being in stationery.
Want more handy writing tips, plus news and views on the eworld of words? Sign up now for our free newsletter Exclaim!