stable

1
[ stey-buhl ]
/ ˈsteɪ bəl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR stable ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

verb (used with object), sta·bled, sta·bling.

to put or lodge in or as if in a stable.

verb (used without object), sta·bled, sta·bling.

to live in or as if in a stable.

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Origin of stable

1
1200–50; Middle English stable < Old French estable < Latin stabulum standing room, equivalent to sta-, stem of stāre to stand + -bulum noun suffix denoting place

OTHER WORDS FROM stable

sta·ble·like, adjectiveun·sta·bled, adjective

Words nearby stable

stabilization print, stabilize, stabilizer, stabilizer bar, stabilograph, stable, stable door, stable equation, stable fly, stable isotope, stable lad

Definition for stable (2 of 2)

stable2
[ stey-buhl ]
/ ˈsteɪ bəl /

adjective, sta·bler, sta·blest.

Origin of stable

2
1225–75; Middle English < Old French estable < Latin stabilis stabile

OTHER WORDS FROM stable

sta·ble·ness, nounsta·bly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to stable

secure, solid, durable, safe, steady, fast, permanent, calm, balanced, strong, substantial, reliable, lasting, even, established, set, tough, stout, invariable, uniform

Example sentences from the Web for stable

British Dictionary definitions for stable (1 of 2)

stable1
/ (ˈsteɪbəl) /

noun

verb

to put, keep, or be kept in a stable

Word Origin for stable

C13: from Old French estable cowshed, from Latin stabulum shed, from stāre to stand

British Dictionary definitions for stable (2 of 2)

stable2
/ (ˈsteɪbəl) /

adjective

steady in position or balance; firm
lasting or permanenta stable relationship
steadfast or firm of purpose
(of an elementary particle, atomic nucleus, etc) not undergoing decay; not radioactivea stable nuclide
(of a chemical compound) not readily partaking in a chemical change
(of electronic equipment) with no tendency to self-oscillation

Derived forms of stable

stableness, nounstably, adverb

Word Origin for stable

C13: from Old French estable, from Latin stabilis steady, from stāre to stand
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for stable

stable
[ stā′bəl ]

adj.

Resistant to change of position or condition.
Not subject to mental illness or irrationality.
Having no known mode of decay; indefinitely long-lived. Used of atomic particles.
Not easily decomposed or otherwise modified chemically.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for stable

stable
[ stā′bəl ]

Not susceptible to a process of decay, such as radioactivity. For example, the most common isotope of carbon, carbon 12, is stable. Protons and photons are examples of stable subatomic particles. See more at decay.
Relating to a chemical compound that does not easily decompose or change into other compounds. Water is an example of a stable compound.
Relating to an atom or chemical element that is unlikely to share electrons with another atom or element.
Not likely to change significantly or to deteriorate suddenly, as an individual's medical condition.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Idioms and Phrases with stable

stable

see lock the barn (stable) door after the horse has bolted.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.