stationary vs stationery
Stationary, spelled with an a, means not moving. Stationery, spelled with an e, means paper and writing materials. A stationary car is parked; stationery is what you write on.
The difference
- stationary (adjective) — not moving; fixed in place
- stationery (noun) — writing paper and related materials
Examples
- The traffic was stationary for an hour.
- She ordered new office stationery.
How to remember
StationERy = papER and Envelopes; stationARy = standing still, like a pARked cAR.
The common trap
Buying 'stationary' from a shop — the products are stationery.
These distinctions are exactly what Word Meaning and Contextual Word Choice questions test. Read the Word Meaning guide or Contextual Word Choice guide, then practise the drill.