stability

[stuh-bil-i-tee]

noun

plural

stabilities 

1. the state or quality of being stable.

2. firmness in position.

3. continuance without change; permanence.

4. Chemistry.,  resistance or the degree of resistance to chemical change or disintegration.

5. resistance to change, especially sudden change or deterioration.

   The stability of the economy encourages investment.

6. steadfastness; constancy, as of character or purpose.

   The job calls for a great deal of emotional stability.

   Synonyms: balance, solidity, poise, soundness, strength, steadiness

7. Aeronautics.,  the ability of an aircraft to return to its original flying position when abruptly displaced.

8. Roman Catholic Church.,  a vow taken by a Benedictine monk, binding him to residence for life in the same monastery in which he made the vow.

stability

/ stəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being stable

2. the ability of an aircraft to resume its original flight path after inadvertent displacement

3. meteorol

   1. the condition of an air or water mass characterized by no upward movement

   2. the degree of susceptibility of an air mass to disturbance by convection currents

4. ecology the ability of an ecosystem to resist change

5. electrical engineering the ability of an electrical circuit to cope with changes in the operational conditions

6. a vow taken by every Benedictine monk attaching him perpetually to the monastery where he is professed

Other Word Forms

• nonstability noun
• overstability noun
• self-stability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stability¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin stabilitās, from stabili(s) stable ² + -tās -ty ²; replacing late Middle English stablete, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Hours later he said he had accepted Macron's request to stay on for another 48 hours to hold last-ditch talks with political parties "for the stability of the country".

From BBC

But over there, long after successive monarchs surrendered their absolute power, it has come to represent tradition, national unity and stability.

From Salon

Macron has asked him to make a last-ditch plan for stability by the end of Wednesday - but support for the French president appears to be waning even among his allies.

From BBC

"This is just a demonstration that PNG and Australia are capable as equal partners for managing and bringing a return to regional stability in the Pacific."

From BBC

Schools provide children and teenagers routine and stability, Ruiz said, and, if even for a brief time, a space where they can escape the heaviness of the outside world.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• balance 
• cohesion 
• establishment 
• security 
• strength 
• support