Continual

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

• continuall obsolete

Origin

From Middle English continuel, from Old French continuel, from Latin continuus ("continuous")

Full definition of continual

Adjective

1. Recurring in steady, rapid succession.
2. (proscribed) Seemingly continuous; appearing to have no end or interruption.
3. (proscribed) Forming a continuous series.

Usage notes

In careful usage, continual refers to repeated actions “continual objections”, while continuous refers to uninterrupted actions or objects “continuous flow”, “played music continuously from dusk to dawn”.

Brians 2008|continual|continual/continuous However, this distinction is not observed in informal usage, a noted example being the magic spell name “continual light” (unbroken light), in the game Magic of Dungeons & Dragons.

Related terms

• continuance
• continuation
• continue
• continuous
• continuum

Anagrams

• inoculant