different between transitory vs unstable

English

Etymology

From Middle French transitoire, from Old French, from Latin transitorius

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?t?æn.z?.t(?)??/, /?t?æn.s?.t(?)??/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?t?æn.z??t??.i/, /?t?æn.s??t??.i/

Adjective

transitory (comparative more transitory, superlative most transitory)

1. Lasting only a short time; temporary.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:ephemeral
2. (law) Of an action: that may be brought in any county

   Antonym: local

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bouvier to this entry?)

Related terms

• transient

Translations

English

Etymology

un- +? stable

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?ste?b??/
• Rhymes: -e?b?l

Adjective

unstable (comparative more unstable, superlative most unstable)

1. Having a strong tendency to change.
2. Fluctuating; not constant.
3. Fickle.
4. Unpredictable.
5. (chemistry) Readily decomposable.
6. (physics) Radioactive, especially with a short half-life.

Synonyms

• (having strong tendency to change): labile
• (fluctuating, not constant): instable (rare); see also Thesaurus:unsteady
• (fickle): arbitrary, capricious
• (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over): tottering, unsteady, wobbly; see also Thesaurus:rickety

Antonyms

• stable

Related terms

• instability
• unstability (rare)

Translations

Verb

unstable (third-person singular simple present unstables, present participle unstabling, simple past and past participle unstabled)

1. (transitive) To release (an animal) from a stable.

Anagrams

• abluents, ant-blues, bleaunts, blue ants, tunables, unablest