perpetual
/pəˈpɛtʃuəl/
adjective
Origin
Latin
perpetuus — continuous, universal, entire
Overview
Meaning Now
- Never ending or changing.
- Occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to seem endless and uninterrupted.
Literal older meaning
continuing through (everything)
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
perpetuel
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term derives from the Latin 'perpetuus', which initially implied a sense of completion or 'reaching through' to the end. In medieval scholastic theology, it was frequently used to describe eternity or the nature of divine existence.
Evolution
- Latin
perpetuus
“continuous or uninterrupted”
Formed from 'per' (through) + 'petere' (to go, reach for)
- Old French
perpetuel
“everlasting”
Adopted into legal and liturgical contexts
- Middle English
perpetuel
“endless”
Entry into English during the 14th century
- Early Modern English
perpetuall
“constant or lasting”
Standardization of spelling
- Modern English
perpetual
“never-ending or frequent”
Connections
Word parts
per-
prefix
thoroughly or through
pet-
root
to strive towards or reach
-ual
suffix
forming an adjective
Related across languages
French
perpétuel
perpetual
Spanish
perpetuo
perpetual
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Related to perpetual
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.