continent
/ˈkɒntɪnənt/
noun
Origin
Latin
continens — holding together, continuous
Overview
Meaning Now
- One of the world's main continuous expanses of land, such as Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, or South America.
- A self-restrained, moderate, or temperate quality, especially in regard to sexual desire.
Literal older meaning
holding together
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
continent
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term derived from the Latin 'terra continens' (continuous land), distinguishing the main landmasses from islands. By the 17th century, it became standardized in geography to describe the major divisions of the Earth's surface.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
continens
“continuous, unbroken”
Present participle of continere
- Late Latin
continens terra
“mainland”
Elliptical use
- Middle French
continent
“landmass, temperate”
- Early Modern English
continent
“a large landmass”
Connections
Word parts
con-
prefix
together
tin-
root
hold
-ent
suffix
agentive participle suffix
Related across languages
French
continent
Spanish
continente
continent
Explore next
Related to continent
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.