Standard Lemma guide

metastable

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to a physical or chemical state that is relatively long-lived, but may decay to a lower energy state when slightly perturbed or through a quantum transition.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A particle, etc. in the metastable state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

(of physical systems) continuing in its present state of equilibrium unless sufficiently disturbed to pass to a more stable state of equilibrium

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From meta- + stable.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: metaestable — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 介穩 /介稳 (jièwěn) — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 亞穩 /亚稳 (yàwěn) — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Finnish: metastabiili — of a long-lived unstable state
  • French: métastable — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Galician: metastábel — of a long-lived unstable state
  • German: metastabil — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Greek: μετασταθής (metastathís) — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Ido: metastabila — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Italian: metastabile — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Polish: metastabilny — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Portuguese: metaestável — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Romanian: metastabil — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Russian: мѐтастаби́льный (mètastabílʹnyj) — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Spanish: metaestable — of a long-lived unstable state
  • Turkish: yarı kararlı — of a long-lived unstable state