station English · revision 3279

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1280|origins=la stāre}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsteɪ.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|stacioun]],^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) [[bor|fro|station]], stacion, estacion “site, location; station of the Cross; standstill”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|statiō|t=a standing; a post, position; military post; anchorage]] (accusative statiōnem),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[m|la|stāre|t=to stand]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(COED 2004) from [[ine-pro|*stā-|alt=*sta-|t=to stand, make or be firm]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[stand]] and [[state]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A place one normally occupies: about 1280^(Barnhart 1988) or the late 13th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Each of the holy places visited in turn by pilgrims is from the late 14th century, and the ''Stations of the Cross'' from the 1550s.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) A stopping place on a journey is from 1585,^(Barnhart 1988) and a regular stopping place on coach routes by 1797, applied to railways by 1830.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) A military post is from about 1600, and one's rank or place in society from about 1600^(Etymonline) or 1675.^(Barnhart 1988) A place where people are sent for a special purpose, as a police station, is by 1817,^(Etymonline) and a place for transmitting radio signals from 1912.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) In Australia a station was first the house and buildings of a sheep-run, and then the whole run.^(Morris 1898) The verb, “to assign to a post”, is from 1748, in Smollett.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1280 – a place one occupies.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – a holy place on a pilgrimage.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1585 – a stopping place on a journey.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1600 – a military post; rank in society.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1748 – verb, to assign to a post.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1797 – a coach stop.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1817 – a police station.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1830 – a railway station.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1912 – a radio station.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1942 – ''station break''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A place where trains or buses stop to let passengers on and off; the building there.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A building or place from which a service is provided: ''a police station''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A place where a person is assigned to stand or work; a [[post]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A company or channel that broadcasts radio or television programmes.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Social position; [[rank]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(Australia, New Zealand)'' A large sheep or cattle farm; a [[ranch]].^(Morris 1898)

+ # Each of the [[Stations of the Cross]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To assign to a station or post.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stational]]

+ * [[restation]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stationary]]

+ * [[stationery]]

+ * [[stationer]]

+ * [[stand]]

+ * [[state]]

+ * [[statue]]

+ * [[status]]

+ * [[stable]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The adjective [[stationary]], “not moving”, comes from the same Latin word and is not to be confused with [[stationery]], “writing materials”, from [[stationer]], once a bookseller or publisher.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}