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. (urology) 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?)

Synonyms

• (moderation or self-restraint): asceticism, temperance
• (uninterrupted course): See also Thesaurus:continuity

Antonyms

• (all): incontinence
• (moderation or self-restraint): acrasia, acrasy, intemperance
• (uninterrupted course): See also Thesaurus:discontinuity

Related terms

▼ English terms derived from the PIE root *ten-‎ (0 c, 45 e)

  abstain

  abstinence

  appertain

  attain

  attainable

  contain

  content

  continence

  continent

  countenance

  detain

  entertain

  entertainer

  entertaining

  entertainment

  impertinent

  incontinence

  incontinency

  incontinent

  incontinently

  lieutenant

  maintain

  maintainer

  maintenance

  obtain

  pertain

  pertinence

  pertinency

  pertinent

  retain

  retainer

  retention

  retentive

  retentiveness

  retentivity

  retentor

  sustain

  sustainment

  sustenance

  tenant

  tenement

  tenet

  tenor

  tenure

  tenurial

Translations

voluntary control of urination and defecation

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

• Irish: coinneálacht f
• Italian: continenza (it) 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 (it)
• 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 or f, ymatal (cy) m, ymataliad m, ymataliaeth f

References

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