continent Definition
con·ti·nent (känt′'n ənt)
adjective
- self-restrained; temperate
- characterized by self-restraint in, esp. by total abstinence from, sexual activity
- Obsolete restrictive
Etymology: OFr < L continens, prp. of continere: see contain
noun
- Rare a thing that retains or contains something
- the mainland: now rare except in the Continent, all of Europe except the British Isles
- 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.
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
Browse dictionary entries near continent
- ‹ continence
- ‹ contiguous
- ‹ contiguity
- ‹ contg
- ‹ contexture
- ‹ contextualize
- ‹ contextual
- ‹ context
- ‹ contestation
- ‹ contestant

