different between unstable vs protean

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

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????? (Pr?teús, literally “first”), the Greek warden of sea beasts, renowned for his ability to change shape.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p???.t?.?n/, /p????ti?.?n/
• (US) enPR: pr?'ti-?n, pr?-t?'?n, IPA^(key): /?p?o?.t?.?n/, /p?o??ti?.?n/
• ,

Adjective

protean (comparative more protean, superlative most protean)

1. Exceedingly variable; readily assuming different shapes or forms.

   Synonyms: multiform, polymorphic, polymorphous, shapeshifting; see also Thesaurus:multiform

   • 1987, William A. Henry III, Time Magazine Volume 129

     He loved to show off his protean talent.
2. Alternative letter-case form of Protean (of or relating to Proteus).

Translations

See also

• Protea

References

Further reading

• Proteus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Paterno, operant, pronate, tropane