stationery

noun

sta·​tio·​nery ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē 

1

: materials (such as paper, pens, and ink) for writing or typing

2

: letter paper usually accompanied with matching envelopes

Did you know?

stationary or stationery?

The Internet is awash with mnemonics (“something (such as a word, a sentence, or a song) that helps people remember something“) designed to assist those who have trouble distinguishing between two similar words. A fair share of these turn out to be for the words stationery and stationary. The most commonly suggested method is to remember that you buy papER at a stationERy store. If this trick does not work for you, then perhaps it will help to remember that a stationery store is one that is run by a stationer. This word was originally applied to a bookseller, but by the middle of the 17th century it began to be used for a person who sells papers, pens, and office goods.

Examples of stationery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead of discarding the idea, the team reimagined its potential, creating a product that transformed the stationery industry. —Mamie Jones, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

The hutch has plenty of space to store mail, stationery, and trinkets, and because of its versatility, it can be placed in any room. —Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025

Lisa then shifted her company’s focus from stickers to school supplies and stationery and hired the company's first in-house illustrator, James Green. —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024

As the readership grew, Nakamura branched out and opened Giant Robot stores in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, which stocked toys, books, and stationery. —Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

stationer

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stationery

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

stationery

noun

sta·​tio·​nery ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē 

1

: materials (as paper, pens, and ink) for writing or typing

2

: letter paper usually accompanied with matching envelopes