continual

See also: continuous

English

Alternative forms

• continuall (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English continuel, borrowed from Old French continuel, formed from Latin continuus (“continuous”) with the suffix -el.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˈtɪnjuəl/, /kənˈtɪnjəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: con‧tin‧u‧al, con‧tin‧ual

Adjective

continual (not comparable)

1. Recurring in steady, rapid succession.
2. (proscribed) Seemingly continuous; appearing to have no end or interruption.
3. (proscribed) Forming a continuous series.

Usage notes

In careful usage, continual refers to repeated actions “continual objections”, while continuous refers to uninterrupted actions or objects “continuous flow”, “played music continuously from dusk to dawn”. However, this distinction is not observed in informal usage, a noted example being the magic spell name “continual light” (unbroken light), in the game Dungeons & Dragons.

Related terms

• continuance
• continuation
• continue
• continuous
• continuum

Translations

appearing to have no end or interruption

• Bulgarian: непрекъснат (bg) (neprekǎsnat)
• Irish: gréasach, síoraí
• Latin: continens (la), iūgis
• Maori: hono
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: непреры́вный (ru) (neprerývnyj) (n'epr'erývnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: sìor

recurring in steady, rapid succession

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

forming a continuous series

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Norwegian: ^{(please verify)} kontinuerlig (no)

Further reading

• “continual”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “continual”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• inoculant