continence

English

Etymology

Dated from the 14th century; borrowed from Old French continence, from Latin continentia (“a repression”). See also countenance.

Noun

continence (usually uncountable, plural continences)

1. The voluntary control of urination and defecation.
2. Moderation or self-restraint, especially in sexual activity; abstinence.
   • For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:continence.
   • Dryden

     He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, — a continence which is practiced by few writers.

   • Jeremy Taylor

     Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence, that of married persons.

3. Uninterrupted course; continuity.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ayliffe to this entry?)

Antonyms

• incontinence

Related terms

• continent

Translations

voluntary control of urination and defecation

• Bulgarian: задържане n (zadǎržane)
• Dutch: continentie f
• Finnish: pidättäminen (act), pidätyskyky (ability)

• Irish: coinneálacht f
• Italian: continenza f
• Mizo: insumna, insumtheihna

moderation or self-restraint, especially in sexual activity; abstinence

• Bulgarian: въздържаност (bg) f (vǎzdǎržanost), умереност (bg) f (umerenost)
• Dutch: ingetogenheid (nl) f, onthouding (nl) f
• Finnish: pidättyvyys (fi)
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: ἐγκράτεια f (enkráteia)

• Irish: geanmnaíocht f, measarthacht f, féinsmacht collaí m

• Italian: moderazione (it) f, astinenza (it) f, continenza
• Mizo: insumtheihna
• Scottish Gaelic: féin-riaghladh m, ceannsachd f, geanasachd f, geanachd f, stuamachd f, geantachd f, geamnaidheachd f, measarrachd f, stuaim f
• Swedish: avhållsamhet (sv), återhållsamhet (sv), måttlighet
• Welsh: cymgadwriaeth f, diweirdeb (cy) m, diweirdab m, diweiredd m, ymarbed m, f, ymatal (cy) m, ymataliad m, ymataliaeth f

References

• “continence” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.