Stationary means not moving or staying in one place. A parked car is stationary. A book sitting on a shelf is stationary. When you stand perfectly still during a game of freeze tag, you're stationary.

Something stationary holds its position rather than traveling or shifting around. A stationary bike at the gym stays in place while you pedal, unlike a regular bicycle that moves you down the street. Scientists talk about stationary objects when studying motion and force, comparing things that stay put to things that move.

Don't confuse stationary with stationery (with an “e”), which means writing paper and envelopes. Here's how to remember the difference: stationery has an “e” for envelope, while stationary has an “a” for standing.

In everyday conversation, you might hear someone say they remained stationary during an earthquake, meaning they didn't move from their spot. Or a teacher might ask students to keep their desks stationary during a test. When something is stationary, it's fixed, or simply staying right where it is.