continent


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

con·ti·nent 1

 (kŏn′tə-nənt)
n.
1. One of the principal land masses of the earth, usually regarded as including Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
2. Continent The mainland of Europe. Used with the.
[Latin (terra) continēns, continent-, continuous (land), present participle of continēre, to hold together; see contain.]

con·ti·nent 2

 (kŏn′tə-nənt)
adj.
Exercising continence.
[Middle English, from Latin continēns, present participle of continēre, to restrain; see contain.]
con′ti·nent·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

continent

(ˈkɒntɪnənt)
n
1. (Physical Geography) one of the earth's large land masses (Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, North and South America, and Antarctica)
2. (Physical Geography) that part of the earth's crust that rises above the oceans and is composed of sialic rocks. Including the continental shelves, the continents occupy 30 per cent of the earth's surface
3. (Physical Geography) obsolete
a. mainland as opposed to islands
b. a continuous extent of land
[C16: from the Latin phrase terra continens continuous land, from continēre; see contain]
continental adj
ˌcontiˈnentally adv

continent

(ˈkɒntɪnənt)
adj
1. (Medicine) able to control urination and defecation
2. exercising self-restraint, esp from sexual activity; chaste
[C14: from Latin continent-, present participle of continēre; see contain]
ˈcontinence, ˈcontinency n
ˈcontinently adv

Continent

(ˈkɒntɪnənt)
n
(Placename) the Continent the mainland of Europe as distinguished from the British Isles
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•ti•nent

(ˈkɒn tn ənt)

n.
1. one of the main landmasses of the globe, usu. reckoned as seven in number (Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica).
2. the mainland, as distinguished from islands or peninsulas.
3. the Continent, the mainland of Europe, as distinguished from the British Isles.
4. a continuous tract, as of land.
5. Archaic. something that serves as a container or boundary.
adj.
6. characterized by or exercising self-restraint, esp. in sexual activity.
7. able to control urinary and fecal discharge.
8. Obs. containing; being a container.
9. Obs. restraining or restrictive.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin continent-, s. of continēns, present participle of continēre to contain]
con′ti•nent•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

con·ti·nent

(kŏn′tə-nənt)
One of the seven great landmasses of the Earth. The continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

continent

1. 'continent'

A continent is a very large area of land surrounded or almost surrounded by sea. A continent usually consists of several countries. Africa and Asia are continents.

They travelled across the South American continent.
2. 'the Continent'

When people talk about the Continent, they mean the mainland of Europe, especially central and southern Europe.

On the Continent, the tradition has been quite different.
Sea traffic between the United Kingdom and the Continent was halted.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

continent

One of the world’s great unbroken land masses.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.continent - one of the large landmasses of the earthcontinent - one of the large landmasses of the earth; "there are seven continents"; "pioneers had to cross the continent on foot"
craton - the part of a continent that is stable and forms the central mass of the continent; typically Precambrian
land mass, landmass - a large continuous extent of land
subcontinent - a large and distinctive landmass (as India or Greenland) that is a distinct part of some continent
2.Continent - the European mainland; "Englishmen like to visit the Continent but they wouldn't like to live there"
Europe - the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use `Europe' to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles
Adj.1.continent - having control over urination and defecation
incontinent - not having control over urination and defecation
2.continent - abstaining from sexual intercourse; "celibate priests"
celibate
chaste - morally pure (especially not having experienced sexual intercourse); "a holy woman innocent and chaste"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

continent

noun

Continents

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

continent

adjective
Exercising moderation and self-restraint in appetites and behavior:
abstemious, sober, temperate.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
قَارَّةقارَّة أوروبا بِدون بَريطانياقارَّه
kontinentsvětadílkontinentnístřídmýEvropa
kontinentKontinentetverdensdeldet europæiske fastlandholde sig
kontinento
maailmajagu
maanosamanner
महाद्वीप
kontinent
benua
heimsálfameginlandsem getur haldiî í sér
大陸
대륙
kontinentasžemynas
kontinentssaturētspējīgssavaldīgs
Európaschopný zadržať močsvetadiel
celinakontinent
kontinent
ทวีป
kıtaKıta Avrupasıanakarakendini tutabilen
lục địa

continent

1 [ˈkɒntɪnənt] ADJ → continente

continent

2 [ˈkɒntɪnənt] N
1. (Geog) → continente m
2. (Brit) the Continent → el continente europeo, Europa f (continental)
on the Continent → en Europa (continental)
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

continent

[ˈkɒntɪnənt] n
(= land mass) → continent m
How many continents are there? → Combien y a-t-il de continents?
(British) (= Europe) the Continent → l'Europe continentale
I've never been to the Continent → Je ne suis jamais allé en Europe continentale.
on the Continent → en Europe continentale
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

continent

1
adj the old lady was not continent (Med) → die alte Dame konnte ihre Darmtätigkeit/Blasentätigkeit nicht mehr kontrollieren

continent

2
n (Geog) → Kontinent m, → Erdteil m; (= mainland) → Festland nt; the Continent (of Europe) (Brit) → Kontinentaleuropa nt; on the Continent → in Europa, auf dem Kontinent
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

continent

[ˈkɒntɪnənt] n
a. → continente m
b. (Brit) the Continent → l'Europa continentale
on the Continent → in Europa
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

continent1

(ˈkontinənt) noun
1. one of the great divisions of the land surface of the world – Europe, America, Australia, Asia or Africa.
2. Europe excluding Britain. We are going to the continent for our holidays.
ˌcontiˈnental (-ˈnen-) adjective
continental breakfast
a light breakfast of rolls and coffee.
continental shelf noun
the part of a continent that is under a relatively shallow sea.

continent2

(ˈkontinənt) adjective
able to control especially the bladder and/or bowel.
ˈcontinence noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

continent

→ قَارَّة kontinent kontinent Kontinent ήπειρος continente maanosa continent kontinent continente 大陸 대륙 continent kontinent kontynent continente континент kontinent ทวีป kıta lục địa 大陆
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
To promote and protect these enterprises, a company was incorporated by the Russian government with exclusive privileges, and a capital of two hundred and sixty thousand pounds sterling; and the sovereignty of that part of the American continent, along the coast of which the posts had been established, was claimed by the Russian crown, on the plea that the land had been discovered and occupied by its subjects.
View in context
But my husband"--her voice softened, the chill increased--"has very little faith in the Continent, and our children have all taken after him."
View in context
To us here, for instance, the East Wind comes across a great continent, sweeping over the greatest body of solid land upon this earth.
View in context
I suggested that we cross the Channel and ascertain if we could not discover a more enlightened and civilized people upon the continent. I was sure that some trace of the ancient culture and greatness of Europe must remain.
View in context
He spoke disrespectfully of the equator, he skipped from continent to continent, he derided the zones, he mopped up the high seas with his napkin.
View in context
They had been the settlers of thirteen separate and distinct English colonies, along the margin of the shore of the North American Continent; contiguously situated, but chartered by adventurers of characters variously diversified, including sectarians, religious and political, of all the classes which for the two preceding centuries had agitated and divided the people of the British islands--and with them were intermingled the descendants of Hollanders, Swedes, Germans, and French fugitives from the persecution of the revoker of the Edict of Nantes.
View in context
It is generally believed that the Aborigines of the American continent have an Asiatic origin.
View in context
Crawley made an expedition into England, leaving behind her her little son upon the continent, under the care of her French maid.
View in context
In the southern part of the continent, where the western gales, charged with moisture from the Pacific, prevail, every island on the broken west coast, from lat.
View in context
Contrary to the arrangement followed for that of the Earth and Mars, the continents occupy more particularly the southern hemisphere of the lunar globe.
View in context
Not to mention rumours which agitated the maritime population and excited the public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were particularly excited.
View in context
The birds which are confined to continents are, according to Mr.
View in context

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?