Common mistakes in English: stationary vs stationery
Are they two different words or is it just a spelling mistake?
These two words are often confused. Stationary is an adjective. Means standing still, not moving.
Stationery is a noun. Means writing materials, as pen, paper, envelope, ink, ruler.
Words origin
Word origin: from Latin ‘stationem’ (station). ‘Stationarius’ in Medieval Latin was a stationary seller. (Peddlers were more common in the Middle Ages). ‘Stationers’, sellers with a fixed location, were often bookshops. From the 18th century ‘stationery’ was used for articles sold by a stationer, seller of books and paper.
Do you know if the pronunciation of these words is the same of different? Write in your comment below if you know the answer.
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