stability

UK: /stəˈbɪləti/ US: /stəˈbɪlɪti/ ,(stə bil′i tē)

Inflections of 'stability' (n): npl: stabilities

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sta•bil•i•ty /stəˈbɪlɪti/  n. [uncountable]

1. the state, quality, or condition of being stable:
   He was arrested for "threatening the stability of the country.''

See -stab-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sta•bil•i•ty  (stə bil′i tē), n., pl. -ties. 

1. the state or quality of being stable.
2. firmness in position.
3. continuance without change;
   permanence.
4. Chemistry resistance or the degree of resistance to chemical change or disintegration.
5. resistance to change, esp. sudden change or deterioration:
   The stability of the economy encourages investment.
6. steadfastness;
   constancy, as of character or purpose:
   The job calls for a great deal of emotional stability.
7. Aeronautics the ability of an aircraft to return to its original flying position when abruptly displaced.
8. Religion [Rom. Cath. Ch.] a vow taken by a Benedictine monk, binding him to residence for life in the same monastery in which he made the vow.

• Latin, as above
• Old French
• Latin stabilitās, equivalent. to stabili(s) stabile + -tās- -ty; replacing late Middle English stablete
• 1400–50

Synonyms

• 6. steadiness, strength, soundness, poise, solidity, balance.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stability / stəˈbɪlɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. the quality of being stable
2. the ability of an aircraft to resume its original flight path after inadvertent displacement