station

STAY-shuhn/ˈsteɪ.ʃən/

Pluralstations

Verbstations, stationing, stationed

23 meanings of station

Practice

1
nouncountable
A place where buses or trains stop to let passengers on and off, sometimes also where vehicles are kept and sent out.
Like a bus stop where the bus always pauses to let people on and off.
We waited at the train station for almost an hour.
The bus pulls into every station along the route.
UsageSay train station or bus station. We met at the station.
2
broadcasternouncountable
A company that makes radio or TV programs and sends them out to listeners or viewers.
My favorite radio station plays old songs every evening.
The news station sent a reporter to cover the storm.
UsageYou listen to a radio station. On TV you change the channel.
Similarchannel, broadcaster, network, outlet
3
emergency basenouncountable
A building where police officers or firefighters work and keep their equipment.
She reported the theft at the local police station.
Firefighters rushed out of the station when the alarm rang.
UsageSay police station or fire station.
Similarprecinct, firehouse
4
nouncountable
A spot set up to give out a certain thing that people need.
There is a station every mile along the race route where runners can grab a drink.
Volunteers handed out fruit at the snack station.
UsageSay snack station or charging station.
Similarstand, point, counter, area, table
5
fuel stopnounUScountable
A place where you stop to buy gas for your car.
Like a place where cars stop to 'drink' fuel before driving on.
We stopped at the station to fill up before the long drive.
The station on the corner sells gas for less than the others.
UsageShort for gas station. Say the full name to be clear.
Similargarage
Note
6
military basenouncountable
A place where soldiers live and work for the army or navy.
The sailors returned to the naval station after six months at sea.
The station housed several hundred troops.
Similarbase, post, garrison, outpost, installation
Note
7
verbpassivetransitive
To put someone in a certain place so they can do a job.
The manager will station a guard at every entrance.
They stationed workers along the parade route.
UsageSay someone was stationed at a place.
Similarpost, position, place, assign, deploy
Note
8
standing spotnouncountable
A spot where someone stands or stays, or is told to wait.
The guard kept to his station by the gate.
Take your station and don't move until I tell you.
UsageSay take your station or stay at your station.
Similarpost, position, place, spot
Note

Less common meanings

9
social ranknouncountable
A person's place or rank in society.
Like a step on a ladder that shows where you stand compared to others.
She married a man above her station.
In those days, your station decided almost everything about your life.
UsageSay above her station: higher than people thought right.
Similarrank, status, position, standing, class
Note
10
network devicenouncountable
A computer or other device that connects to a network to send and receive data.
Like a phone in a group: each one has its own number so messages reach the right place.
Each station on the network has its own address.
The new station could not connect to the office network.
Similarnode, host, terminal
Note
11
sheep farmnounAustraliaNew Zealandcountable
A very large farm in Australia or New Zealand where sheep or cattle are raised.
Like a ranch: a very big farm where lots of cows or sheep are kept.
The family runs a huge sheep station out in the dry interior.
Workers drive for hours just to reach the far side of the cattle station.
UsageSay sheep station or cattle station.
Similarranch, property, farm
Note
12
cross picturenouncountable
One of fourteen pictures or carvings showing the last hours of Jesus, used for prayer.
Like stops on a guided walk, where you pause at each one to think.
During Lent we walked to each station and prayed about Jesus's suffering.
The fifth station shows a man helping Jesus carry the cross.
UsageThe set is called the Stations of the Cross.
Note
13
appointed jobnouncountable
A job or post that someone is given to do as their work or duty.
He was proud to take up his new station as town clerk.
Her station required her to manage the whole estate.
Similarpost, position, office, appointment, role
Note
14
survey pointnouncountable
One of several evenly spaced points marked out along a line or path.
Like marks painted on the ground, each the same distance apart.
The surveyor placed a marker at every station along the road.
We measured the height of the ground at each station.
Note
15
British India townnounhistoricalcountable
In British India, the town or area where British officials and soldiers lived.
Like a small home town built just for the people who came there to work.
British officials in India lived at the station, away from the old town.
When a man is absolutely alone in a Station he runs a certain risk of falling into evil ways.
1889, Rudyard Kipling, “A Wayside Comedy”Here, Station means a settlement where English officials in India lived.
Note
16
nounobsolete
The state of standing completely still without moving.
Note
17
noun
The kind of place where a particular plant or animal naturally lives.
18
noun
A measure of how far down a baby's head has moved in the birth canal.
19
noun
The moment when a planet seems to stop moving in the sky before it changes direction.
20
noun
A Catholic day of fasting kept on Wednesdays and Fridays in memory of Jesus's suffering.
21
noun
A church where clergy stop during a procession on certain days to say set prayers.
22
noundialectalNewfoundland
A sheltered bay or shore where boats and buildings support local fishing.
23
noun
A widened space in a mine shaft or tunnel, used as a landing or to hold a pump or tank.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of station apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin statiō, meaning "standing, post, or position," which came into English through French.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Station ultimately derives from Latin statiō through French, specifically Anglo-Norman. en.wiktionary.org
Latin statiō means standing, post, or position. en.wiktionary.org