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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

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

continent Synonyms

continent

n.

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


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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.

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.

Preposition: on

  • planet: There is not a continent on this planet where worship renewal is not now taking place.

Noun used with modifier

  • sub: Fewer than 2000 tigers remain in the sub continent, more than 40 live in Chitwan.

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.
continent usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

continent quotes

From Stettin in the Baltic toTrieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.

-Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer

As to a Southern Continent, I do not believe any such thing exists, unless in a high altitude.

-Cook, CaptainJames

The Continent will not suffer England to be the workshop of the world.

-Disraeli, Benjamin, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield

continent quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"continent." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/continent>

APA Style

continent. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/continent

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