Everlasting

Pronunciation

Origin

From ever + lasting.

Full definition of everlasting

Adjective

1. Lasting or enduring forever; existing or continuing without end; immortal; eternal.
• unknown date, Genesis xx1. 33The Everlasting God.
2. Continuing indefinitely, or during a long period; perpetual; sometimes used, colloquially, as a strong intensive.
   this everlasting nonsense
• unknown date, Genesis xvii. 8I will give to thee, and to thy seed after thee...the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.
• unknown date, Alexander Pope (1688-1744)And heard thy everlasting yawn confess
  The pains and penalties of idleness.
3. (philosophy) Existing with infinite temporal duration (as opposed to existence outside of time).
4. (colloquial) Extremely.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 10, The Jones man was looking at her hard. Now he reached into the hatch of his vest and fetched out a couple of cigars, everlasting big ones, with gilt bands on them.

Usage notes

Everlasting, Eternal. Eternal denotes (when taken strictly) without beginning or end of duration; everlasting is sometimes used in our version of the Scriptures in the sense of eternal, but in modern usage is confined to the future, and implies no intermission as well as no end.

Whether we shall meet again I know not; Therefore our everlasting farewell take; Forever, and forever farewell, Cassius. -William Shakespeare

Synonyms

• eternal, immortal, interminable, endless, never-ending, infinite, unlimited, unceasing, uninterrupted, continual, unintermitted, incessant
• (existing with infinite temporal duration) sempiternal

Antonyms

• (of a short life) ephemeral
• (existing or continuing without end) finite, limited, mortal

Derived terms

• everlasting flower.
• everlasting pea

Noun

1. An everlasting flower.
• 1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York 2007, p. 313:‘It is true perhaps it is too late now for you to look like a rose; but you can always look like an everlasting.’
2. A cloth fabric for shoes, etc.