LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivethird-declension two-termination adjective

stabilis

stabilis (neuter stabile, comparative stabilior, superlative stabilissimus, adverb stabiliter)
Classical[ˈsta.bɪ.lɪs]Ecclesiastical[ˈstaː.bi.lis]

Meaning

  1. two terminationfirm, steadfast, steady, sure, stable, stationary (that stands firm)
  2. two terminationestablished, enduring, durable, immutable, lasting, everlasting, unwavering, unchanging
    Cōnūbiō iungam stabilī propriamque dicābō.“Joined in marriage, everlasting, and I shall dedicate [her to you as] your very own [wife].” (Juno tempts Aeolus to do her will by offering him marriage to Deiopea.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.73

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativestabilisstabilisstabile
genitivestabilisstabilisstabilis
dativestabilīstabilīstabilī
accusativestabilemstabilemstabile
ablativestabilīstabilīstabilī
vocativestabilisstabilisstabile
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativestabilēsstabilēsstabilia
genitivestabiliumstabiliumstabilium
dativestabilibusstabilibusstabilibus
accusativestabilīs
stabilēs		stabilīs
stabilēs		stabilia
ablativestabilibusstabilibusstabilibus
vocativestabilēsstabilēsstabilia

stăbĭlis, e, adj. sto, prop. where one can stand; hence, pregn.,
I. that stands firm; firm, steadfast, steady, stable (class.; esp. in the trop. sense; syn.: firmus, constans).
I. Lit.: via plana et stabilis (opp. praeceps et lubrica), Cic. Fl. 42, 105: locus ad insistendum, Liv. 44, 5, 10: solum, id. 44, 9, 7: stabulum, Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 56: domus, id. Merc. 3, 4, 68: medio sedet insula ponto, Ov. F. 4, 303: per stabilem ratem tamquam viam, Liv. 21, 28, 8: elephanti pondere ipso stabiles, id. 21, 28, 12: stabilior Romanus erat, was more firm, stood his ground better, id. 44, 35, 19; cf.: stabili gradu impetum hostium excipere, id. 6, 12, 8; Tac. H. 2, 35; cf.: Romani stabili pugnae assueti, Liv. 28, 2, 7: pugna, id. 31, 35, 6: acies, id. 30, 11, 9: proelium, Tac. A. 2, 21: quae domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma civitas est, quae? etc., Cic. Lael. 7, 23: stabilis pulsus, a steady pulse, Plin. 11, 37, 89, § 219: venae aquarum, steadily flowing, id. 30, 3, 28, § 48.—
II. Trop., firm, enduring, durable, stable; immutable, unwavering; steadfast, intrepid (syn.: firmus, constans, certus): fundamentum, Lucr. 5, 1121: amici firmi et stabiles et constantes, Cic. Lael. 17, 62: stabilem se in amicitiā praestare, id. ib. 17, 64: stabile et fixum et permanens bonum, id. Tusc. 5, 14, 40: decretum stabile, fixum, ratum, id. Ac. 2, 9, 27: stabilis certaque sententia (opp. errans et vaga), id. N. D. 2, 1, 2: urbs sedem stabilem non habebit, id. Marcell. 9, 29: matrimonium stabile et certum, id. Phil. 2, 18, 44: stabilis et certa possessio, id. Lael. 15, 55: praecepta firma, stabilia, id. Off. 1, 2, 6: opinio, id. N. D. 2, 2, 5: oratio stabilis ac non mutata, id. Mil. 34, 92: nihil est tam ad diuturnitatem memoriae stabile quam, etc., id. de Or. 1, 28, 129: animus stabilis amicis, id. Inv. 1, 30, 47: virtus, Quae maneat stabili cum fugit illa (Fortuna) pede, Ov. Tr. 5, 14, 30.—Of springs: aquae certae, stabilesque et salubres, unfailing, perennial, Plin. 31, 3, 28, § 48: eam (summam voluptatem) tum adesse, cum dolor omnis absit: eam stabilem appellas (opp. in motu), i. e. a fixed state or condition, Cic. Fin. 2, 23, 75.—Of feet, syllables, etc., in verse: spondei, Hor. A. P. 256; so, pedes, dochmius, syllabae, etc., Quint. 9, 4, 97 sq.: stabilia probant, i. e. consisting of such feet, etc., id. 9, 4, 116.—Comp.: imperium stabilius, Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 41.—Sup.: quaestus stabilissimus, Cato, R. R. praef. fin.—*
b. Stabile est, with subject - clause, like certum est, it is settled, it is decided: profecto stabile'st, me patri aurum reddere, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 4, 25.—Hence, adv.: stăbĭlĭter (acc. to I.), firmly, durably, permanently (very rare): includatur tympanum, Vitr. 10, 14.—Comp.: fundare molem, Suet. Claud. 20.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*sth₂éh₁yeti
  3. Proto-Italic*staējō
  4. Proto-Italic*staēō
  5. Proto-Italic*staðlis?
  6. Latinstabilis

By surface analysis, stō (“ to stand (still), remain standing, be upright, be erect”) + -bilis. Poultney compares the term to Umbrian 𐌔𐌕𐌀𐌚𐌋𐌉 (stafli) and reconstructs Proto-Italic *staðlis, though De Vaan leaves the etymology of the Umbrian term as uncertain.

Elsewhere
  • Catalanestable
  • Englishstabile
  • Frenchstable
  • Germanstabil
  • Italianstabile
  • Englishstablefrom Old French estable
  • Occitanestablefrom Old Occitan estable
  • Romanianstabil
  • Venetanstabiłe
  • Bulgarianстабилен
West Iberian
  • Portugueseestávelfrom Old Galician-Portuguese estavel
  • Spanishestablefrom Old Spanish estabile
  • Asturianestable
  • Galicianestablefrom Old Galician-Portuguese estavel
  • Galicianestábelfrom Old Galician-Portuguese estavel
Balkan Romance
  • Romanianstavăr
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Romanshstabel

Quick answers

What does stabilis mean in Latin?
stabilis, a adjective, means “firm, steadfast, steady, sure, stable, stationary (that stands firm); established, enduring, durable, immutable, lasting, everlasting, unwavering, unchanging”.
How do you pronounce stabilis?
In classical Latin, [ˈsta.bɪ.lɪs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈstaː.bi.lis].
Where does stabilis come from?
Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- → Proto-Indo-European *sth₂éh₁yeti → Proto-Italic *staējō → Proto-Italic *staēō → Proto-Italic *staðlis? → Latin stabilis.