status

(stătˈəs, stāˈtəs)

noun

1. Position relative to that of others; standing: Her status is that of a guest.
2. High standing; prestige: a position of status in the community.
3. Law The legal character or condition of a person or thing: the status of a minor.
4. A state of affairs; situation. See Synonyms at state.

Usage Note: In a recent survey of the Usage Panel, 53 percent of the Panelists preferred the pronunciation (stătˈəs), 36 percent preferred (stāˈtəs), and 11 percent said they use both pronunciations. The pronunciation (stāˈtəs) is the older, more traditional pronunciation, and it remains the most common one in British English.