continent Hear it!

continent Definition

con·ti·nent (känt′'n ənt)

adjective

  1. self-restrained; temperate
  2. characterized by self-restraint in, esp. by total abstinence from, sexual activity
  3. Obsolete restrictive

Etymology: OFr < L continens, prp. of continere: see contain

noun

  1. Rare a thing that retains or contains something
  2. the mainland: now rare except in the Continent, all of Europe except the British Isles
  3. any of the main large land areas of the earth, conventionally regarded (with or without outlying islands) as units; Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America, and, sometimes, Antarctica

continent Related Forms

con′·ti·nently adverb

continent Synonyms

continent

n.

mainland, continental landmass, landmass, major earth division, body of land; see also Africa, America, Asia, Europe, region 1.

continent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • span: BBC This article is about a project spanning five continents that is aiming to map the history of human migration via DNA.
  • inhabit: This likewise necessarily occurs with closely allied organisms, which inhabit distinct continents or islands.
  • sweep: These days, hardly a week goes by without another health scare sweeping the continent.
  • cross: Whether crossing continents, countries, commuting or simply riding for the hell of it, the Tiger is always a willing accomplice.
  • dominate: If any country threatened to dominate the Continent, Britain would join with the opposing coalition to prevent it.
  • divide: Enlargement should be celebrated as a healing of the divided continent and as an opportunity to develop greater solidarity between rich and poor.

Preposition: as

capital: Many of the people hail the continent as the capital for romance.

Adjective modifier

  • Antarctic: The sketch shows the Antarctic continent without the ice.
  • African: Senegal can also claim the lowest level of cancers on the African continent.
  • North: These two overland journeys proved landmarks in the exploration of the North American continent.
  • frozen: This is a 2 year project with several expeditions to the frozen continent.
  • American: Away, then, with all idle French talk of balances of power on the American Continent.
  • entire: Naturally, no one country or region can be a true template for an entire continent with all its diversity.

Preposition: on

  • planet: There is not a continent on this planet where worship renewal is not now taking place.
  • earth: Antarctica is the driest continent on earth with an absolute humidity lower than that of the Sahara Desert.

Noun used with modifier

  • sub: Fewer than 2000 tigers remain in the sub continent, more than 40 live in Chitwan.
  • island: Your role as a volunteer: The variety of conservation projects is as immense as the island continent.

Preposition: in

world: However, Antarctica is the highest continent in the world with an average height of 2300m.

Preposition: of

  • globe: However, Equus survived and spread to all continents of the globe, except Australia and Antarctica.
  • world: Should hunger or thirst strike then your taste buds can be activated by flavors from almost all continents of the world.