Wiktionary

continent

See also: Continent and continnent

English Edit

 
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Pronunciation Edit

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒntɪnənt/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkɑntɪnənt/, /ˈkɑnt(ə)nənt/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Etymology 1 Edit

Borrowed from Latin continēntem, noun use of present participle of continēre (“to contain”).

Noun Edit

continent (plural continents)

  1. Each of the main continuous land-masses on the earth's surface, now generally regarded as seven in number, including their related islands, continental shelves etc.
  2. (obsolete in general sense) A large contiguous landmass considered independent of its islands, peninsulas etc. Specifically, the Old World continent of Europe–Asia–Africa. See the Continent.
  3. (obsolete) Land (as opposed to the water).
Hyponyms Edit
Derived terms Edit
Translations Edit
See also Edit

Etymology 2 Edit

From Middle English contynent, from Old French continent, from Latin continentem (“continuous; holding together”), present participle of continēre (“to contain”).

Adjective Edit

continent (comparative more continent, superlative most continent)

  1. Exercising self-restraint; controlled, temperate with respect to one's bodily needs or passions, especially sex, urination and/or defecation.
    • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
      Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower.
    • 1926, T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, New York: Anchor, published 1991, page 219:
      Their strength was the strength of men geographically beyond temptation: the poverty of Arabia made them simple, continent, enduring.
    • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 119:
      A celibate himself, he was of the opinion that marriage was something of a concession to human frailty, to save from fornication those who could not be continent, so it was better to marry than to burn with lust.
  2. Not interrupted; connected; continuous.
    a continent fever
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i:
      Affrike and Europe bordering on your land,
      And continent to your Dominions: […]
    • 1843, John McIntosh, The Origin of the North American Indians:
      The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disjoined by sea of all that coast.
  3. (obsolete) Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing.
Antonyms Edit
Translations Edit

Catalan Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from Latin continentem.

Pronunciation Edit

Noun Edit

continent m (plural continents)

  1. continent

Related terms Edit

See also Edit

Further reading Edit

Dutch Edit

Pronunciation Edit

  • IPA(key): /ˌkɔn.tiˈnɛnt/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: con‧ti‧nent
  • Rhymes: -ɛnt

Etymology 1 Edit

Borrowed from French continent, from Latin continēns.

Noun Edit

continent n (plural continenten)

  1. continent (landmass)
Synonyms Edit
Derived terms Edit
Descendants Edit
  • → Indonesian: kontinen

Etymology 2 Edit

Ultimately from Latin continēns. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Adjective Edit

continent (not comparable)

  1. (chiefly medicine) continent
  2. (obsolete) continent, morally restrained
Inflection Edit
Inflection of continent
uninflected continent
inflected continente
comparative —
positive
predicative/adverbial continent
indefinite m./f. sing. continente
n. sing. continent
plural continente
definite continente
partitive continents
Related terms Edit

French Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from Latin continentem.

Pronunciation Edit

Noun Edit

continent m (plural continents)

  1. continent

Derived terms Edit

Related terms Edit

Descendants Edit

Further reading Edit

Latin Edit

Verb Edit

continent

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of contineō

Middle French Edit

Adjective Edit

continent m (feminine singular continente, masculine plural continens, feminine plural continentes)

  1. continent (exercising restraint)
    Antonym: incontinent

Occitan Edit

Etymology Edit

From Latin continēns.

Pronunciation Edit

Noun Edit

continent m (plural continents)

  1. continent

Related terms Edit

Romanian Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from Latin continens and/or from French continent.

Noun Edit

continent n (plural continente)

  1. continent

Declension Edit

Declension of continent
singular plural
indefinite articulation definite articulation indefinite articulation definite articulation
nominative/accusative (un) continent continentul (niște) continente continentele
genitive/dative (unui) continent continentului (unor) continente continentelor
vocative continentule continentelor

Related terms Edit

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