Stationery is paper, envelopes, and other writing materials. When you buy a notebook, writing paper, or thank-you cards at a store, you're buying stationery.

A stationery store sells pens, pencils, paper, folders, envelopes, and similar supplies. Before computers became common, people used stationery constantly: for letters, schoolwork, business documents, and personal notes. Many adults still keep special stationery with their name or address printed at the top for writing formal letters or notes.

Don't confuse stationery with stationary, which means not moving. An easy way to remember: stationery with an e is for envelopes and paper, while stationary with an a means standing still.

People still use stationery today even with computers and phones everywhere. There's something special about receiving a handwritten note on nice stationery. It shows someone took extra time and care to write to you personally, rather than just typing out a quick text message.