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You are here: Home / Difference / Stationary vs. Stationery

Stationary vs. Stationery

August 9, 2017 - pdf

Not only are the terms stationary and stationery homophones, words that sound the same, they are also nearly identical in spelling. One is spelled with an “a” while the other is spelled with an “e”. This often causes confusion among English writers. However, that single letter difference actually makes them worlds apart in terms of their meanings.

The word stationary is an adjective used to mean “not moving or not intended to be moved.” You might be familiar with a stationary bike, a bicycle which you can pedal all you want but you would not reach any destination.

West Bromwich shooting: Two arrests after man killed in stationary car
BBC News

Poundworld’s new stationery range is so pretty that people are confusing it with Paperchase
Mirror

Are Stationary Bikes that Generate Electricity Making a Comeback?
IEEE Spectrum

On the other hand, the term stationery is a noun used to refer to “writing and other office materials.”

Cash-strapped council that banned staff from buying stationery still facing £5m black hole
Manchester Evening News

Top Australian stationery brand set to open new Glasgow store
Glasgow Live

After scams, funds for uniform, stationery to flow directly to pupils
Pune Mirror

Sometimes, it more specifically refers to “writing paper, especially with matching envelopes.”

Company stationery and website – what must be displayed?
Lexology

Writing Your Senator? New Stationery Adds Flair to the Message
New York Post

Personalised stationery: How to say thank you in style
Telegraph.co.uk

An easy way to remember the difference between these two terms is to remember their single letter difference. If you mean something that would stay and not move, then you should use the adjective stationary. Meanwhile, you should use the noun stationery if you are referring to a kind of paper or office material.

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