static

static — adjective

1. staying in the same place without physical movement, or remaining unchanged over

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

staying in the same place without physical movement, or remaining unchanged over a period of time

Example

Mira's weight has stayed static for the past three years despite her new exercise routine.

collocation: stay static / remain static

House prices in the neighborhood remained static throughout the economic downturn.

Common collocations
  • remain static
  • stay static
  • static level
  • static rate
Synonyms
  • stationary

    focuses on physical stillness at a point in space; static also covers abstract lack of change

  • unchanged

    describes the outcome of remaining the same; static can describe a state without implying a past reference

  • stagnant

    carries a negative connotation of unhealthy stillness; static is neutral

Antonyms
  • dynamic

    describes active change or movement, the direct opposite of static

2. describes a website that serves the same pre-built pages to every visitor, regar

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a website that serves the same pre-built pages to every visitor, regardless of who they are or when they visit

Example

The restaurant's static website only lists its address, menu, and opening hours.

contrast: static website vs dynamic website

Christopher built a static site for his photography portfolio using basic HTML and CSS.

Common collocations
  • static site
  • static page
  • static HTML
  • static content
Synonyms
  • fixed

    generic term for anything that does not change; static is the technical term in web contexts

Antonyms
  • dynamic

    a dynamic website changes its content based on user input or other variables

Usage Note

Commonly contrasted with dynamic website, which adjusts content based on the user's behavior or preferences.

3. relating to electric charges that build up on the surface of objects and remain

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to electric charges that build up on the surface of objects and remain in place rather than flowing as a current

Example

Ayana felt a small shock from static electricity when she touched the metal car door.

concrete effect: shock from static electricity

The static charge on the plastic comb made Nellie's hair stand straight up.

Common collocations
  • static charge
  • static electricity
  • static shock
  • static buildup
Synonyms
  • electrostatic

    the technical adjective; static is the shortened, everyday form

Antonyms
  • current

    current electricity flows through a circuit; static electricity stays on the surface

Usage Note

Often used attributively before 'charge' or 'electricity' — a 'static charge', 'static electricity'.

Common Mistakes

I got a static shock from the door.
I got a shock from static electricity when I touched the door.
the shock itself is not 'static'; static is the type of electricity.

4. relating to the force exerted by weight when nothing is moving, often used in en

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

relating to the force exerted by weight when nothing is moving, often used in engineering to describe loads that do not produce motion

Example

Engineers calculated the static load that the bridge's concrete pillars could support.

collocation: static load

A static weight of twelve tons pressed down on the testing platform overnight.

Common collocations
  • static load
  • static weight
  • static stress
  • static force
Synonyms
  • dead

    as in 'dead load' — the permanent stationary weight of a structure itself; interchangeable with static in engineering

Antonyms
  • dynamic

    a dynamic load involves movement or changing forces, such as wind or moving vehicles

Usage Note

Most common in the phrases 'static load' and 'static weight'. Contrasts with 'dynamic load', which includes forces from movement such as wind or traffic.

5. used in compound scientific and medical terms to indicate a relationship to a pa

5.adjectiveC1
Definition

used in compound scientific and medical terms to indicate a relationship to a particular position, condition, or balanced state — for example, homeostatic (relating to internal balance) or thermostatic (relating to temperature control)

Example

The body's homeostatic systems keep internal temperature and blood sugar within a narrow range.

example compound: homeostatic = relating to internal balance

A thermostatic valve adjusts hot water flow to keep the shower at a steady temperature.

Common collocations
  • homeostatic balance
  • thermostatic control
  • static equilibrium

Usage Note

This is not a standalone English adjective but a combining form (like a suffix) used in compound words borrowed from or created in scientific Latin. The core idea is 'relating to a position or state'.

6. used in compound medical terms to describe something that stops or slows the gro

6.adjectiveC1
Definition

used in compound medical terms to describe something that stops or slows the growth of microorganisms without necessarily killing them — for example, bacteriostatic (preventing bacteria from multiplying)

Example

The doctor prescribed a bacteriostatic antibiotic to stop the infection from spreading.

example compound: bacteriostatic = stops bacterial growth

Bacteriostatic compounds produced by certain fungi help them outcompete neighboring bacteria in the soil.

compound form: bacteriostatic = growth-inhibiting against bacteria

Common collocations
  • bacteriostatic agent
  • fungistatic effect
  • static action
Synonyms
  • inhibitory

    broader term that covers both static (prevents growth) and cidal (kills) effects

Antonyms
  • cidal

    as in bactericidal — kills microorganisms rather than just stopping their growth

Usage Note

This combining form appears in words like 'bacteriostatic' (stops bacteria from multiplying) and 'fungistatic' (stops fungal growth). The opposite idea is '-cidal' (kills outright, as in 'bactericidal').

static — noun

Word family

  • stasis
    nounC1
  • statics
    nounC1
  • statically
    adverbC1
  • electrostatic
    adjectiveB2
  • aerostatic
    adjectiveC2
  • homeostatic
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe a lack of movement or change, but they differ in focus and connotation. Stationary refers strictly to physical stillness at a given point — a parked car is stationary, but prices cannot be stationary. Unchanged is the most neutral term: it simply states that something is the same as before, without implying anything about whether it should change. Stagnant carries a negative judgment, suggesting something has become dirty or unhealthy from standing still too long — stagnant water breeds mosquitoes, and a stagnant economy breeds unemployment. Static sits in the middle: it is more formal than unchanged and more neutral than stagnant, describing a fixed state without immediate judgment. Fixed suggests deliberate action — someone set the price or location and intends it to stay that way. For example: 'The traffic was stationary for an hour' (physical stillness), 'The menu has remained unchanged since 2018' (neutral fact), 'A stagnant pond smells bad' (negative stillness), and 'The temperature stayed static at 22°C' (neutral, measured stability).

stationary ↗unchanged ↗stagnant ↗fixed ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • remain static
  • stay static
  • static condition

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word 'static' comes from the Greek 'statikos', meaning 'causing to stand' or 'skilled in weighing', from the verb 'histanai' (to cause to stand, to set up, to weigh). It passed into Latin as 'staticus' (relating to weight or balance), then into modern scientific English in the 16th century, originally used in the fields of physics and medicine. The electrical sense emerged in the mid-1800s, when scientists needed a term for electric charges that 'stand still' on a surface rather than flowing. The informal meaning 'angry criticism' appeared in American slang around the 1960s, likely drawing on the idea of 'static' as irritating background noise that interferes with a clear signal.