station

[stey-shuhn]

noun

1. a place or position in which a person or thing is normally located.

   Synonyms: location, situation

2. a stopping place for trains or other land conveyances, for the transfer of freight or passengers.

3. the building or buildings at such a stopping place.

   Synonyms: terminal, depot

4. the district or municipal headquarters of certain public services.

   police station; fire station; postal station.

5. a place equipped for some particular kind of work, service, research, or the like.

   gasoline station; geophysical station.

6. the position, as of persons or things, in a scale of estimation, rank, or dignity; standing.

   the responsibility of persons of high station.

7. a position, office, rank, calling, or the like.

   Synonyms: employment, business, trade, occupation

8. Radio and Television.

   1. a studio or building from which broadcasts originate.

   2. a person or organization originating and broadcasting messages or programs.

   3. a specific frequency or band of frequencies assigned to a regular or special broadcaster.

      Tune to the Civil Defense station.

   4. the complete equipment used in transmitting and receiving broadcasts.

9. Military.

   1. a military place of duty.

   2. a semipermanent army post.

10. Navy.,  a place or region to which a ship or fleet is assigned for duty.

11. (formerly in India) the area in which the British officials of a district or the officers of a garrison resided.

12. Biology.,  a particular area or type of region where a given animal or plant is found.

13. Australian.,  a ranch with its buildings, land, etc., especially for raising sheep.

14. Surveying.

    1. Also called set-up. Also called instrument station,. a point where an observation is taken.

    2. a precisely located reference point.

    3. a length of 100 feet (30 meters) along a survey line.

15. a section or area assigned to a waiter, soldier, etc.; post.

    The waiter says this isn't his station.

16. stations of the cross.

17. Archaic.,  the fact or condition of standing still.

verb (used with object)

1. to assign a station to; place or post in a station or position.

   Synonyms: fix, set, establish, locate, position

station

/ ˈsteɪʃən /

noun

1. the place or position at which a thing or person stands or is supposed to stand

2. 1. a place along a route or line at which a bus, train, etc, stops for fuel or to pick up or let off passengers or goods, esp one with ancillary buildings and services

      railway station

   2. ( as modifier )

      a station buffet

3. 1. the headquarters or local offices of an official organization such as the police or fire services

   2. ( as modifier ) See police station fire station

      a station sergeant

4. a building, depot, etc, with special equipment for some particular purpose

   power station

   petrol station

   television station

5. military a place of duty

   an action station

6. navy

   1. a location to which a ship or fleet is assigned for duty

   2. an assigned location for a member of a ship's crew

7. a radio or television channel

8. a position or standing, as in a particular society or organization

9. the type of one's occupation; calling

10. (in British India) a place where the British district officials or garrison officers resided

11. biology the type of habitat occupied by a particular animal or plant

12. a large sheep or cattle farm

13. surveying a point at which a reading is made or which is used as a point of reference

14. (often capital) RC Church

    1. one of the Stations of the Cross

    2. any of the churches ( station churches ) in Rome that have been used from ancient times as points of assembly for religious processions and ceremonies on particular days ( station days )

15. (plural) (in rural Ireland) mass, preceded by confessions, held annually in a parishioner's dwelling and attended by other parishioners

verb

1. (tr) to place in or assign to a station

Other Word Forms

• stational adjective
• interstation adjective
• restation verb (used with object)
• unstation verb (used with object)
• unstationed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of station¹

1350–1400; < Latin statiōn- (stem of statiō ) a standing still, standing-place, equivalent to stat ( us ) (past participle of stāre to stand ) + -iōn- -ion; replacing Middle English stacioun < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of station¹

C14: via Old French from Latin statiō a standing still, from stāre to stand

Synonym Study

See appointment.

Example Sentences

Sustenance for an overnighter can be covered by using the Airport in the Sky Restaurant near the Catalina Airport as a feed station.

From Los Angeles Times

There was a frightening incident at a petrol station in Australia, where Cavallo was physically attacked by someone who recognised him from the coverage.

From BBC

Among those who died was Anthony Marks, 51, who was assaulted in August 2024 near London's King's Cross station while sheltering in a bin shed.

From BBC

Passers-by wrestled the dog off her but it broke free and chased a man into a petrol station forecourt, setting upon him next.

From BBC

Before leaving the country, the jury was told she visited Charing Cross police station in London where a DNA sample was taken but later destroyed.

From BBC

Related Words

• depot 
• house 
• location 
• site 
• terminal