- Stationary means “fixed,” “immobile,” or “unchanging.”
- Stationery refers to paper, matching envelopes, and writing implements.
At a glance, stationary and stationery look very much alike. But they couldn’t be further apart in meaning and function. So confusing them—and they’re often confused—is a noticeable mistake.
What does stationary mean?
When something is fixed, immobile, or not subject to change, we can use the adjective stationary to describe it:
What does stationery mean?
Stationery refers to the collection of papers, envelopes, and other things you’d use to write letters or cards:
