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stable

1
[ stey-buhl ]
/ ˈsteɪ bəl /
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See synonyms for: stable / stables / stableness / stably 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
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stable, stabel(e), from Old French estable, from Latin stabulum “stall; shed,” equivalent to sta-, stem of stāre “to stand” + -bulum noun suffix denoting place; see origin at stand

OTHER WORDS FROM stable

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

Other definitions for stable (2 of 2)

stable2
[ stey-buhl ]
/ ˈsteɪ bəl /

adjective, sta·bler, sta·blest.

OTHER WORDS FOR stable

4 invariable, staunch, constant, reliable, steady, unswerving, unvarying.

Origin of stable

2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English stable, stabel(e), from Old French estable, stable, from Latin stabilis stabile

OTHER WORDS FROM stable

sta·ble·ness, nounstably, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stable in a sentence

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

Scientific definitions for stable

stable
[ stābəl ]

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.

Other 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.
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