continuous

American  

[kuhn-tin-yoo-uhs] / kənˈtɪn ju əs /

adjective

1. uninterrupted in time; without cessation.

   continuous coughing during the concert.

2. being in immediate connection or spatial relationship.

   a continuous series of blasts; a continuous row of warehouses.

3. Grammar. progressive.

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continuous British  

/ kənˈtɪnjʊəs /

adjective

1. prolonged without interruption; unceasing

   a continuous noise

2. in an unbroken series or pattern

3. maths (of a function or curve) changing gradually in value as the variable changes in value. A function f is continuous if at every value a of the independent variable the difference between f( x ) and f( a ) approaches zero as x approaches a Compare discontinuous See also limit

4. statistics (of a variable) having a continuum of possible values so that its distribution requires integration rather than summation to determine its cumulative probability Compare discrete

5. grammar another word for progressive

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continuous Scientific  

/ kən-tĭn′yo̅o̅-əs /

1. Relating to a line or curve that extends without a break or irregularity.

2. A function in which changes, however small, to any x- value result in small changes to the corresponding y- value, without sudden jumps. Technically, a function is continuous at the point c if it meets the following condition: for any positive number ε, however small, there exists a positive number δ such that for all x within the distance δ from c, the value of f (x) will be within the distance ε from f (c). Polynomials, exponential functions, and trigonometric functions are examples of continuous functions.

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Usage

Both continual and continuous can be used to say that something continues without interruption, but only continual can correctly be used to say that something keeps happening repeatedly

Commonly Confused

See continual.

Other Word Forms

• continuousness
  noun
• noncontinuousness
  noun
• noncontinuous
  adjective
• quasi-continuous
  adjective
• semicontinuous
  adjective
• uncontinuous
  adjective
• continuously
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of continuous

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin continuus “uninterrupted,” equivalent to contin(ēre) “to hold together, retain” ( con- con- + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre “to hold”; cf. contain) + -uus adjective suffix; cf. -ous, contiguous

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Compare meaning

How does continuous compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• contiguous vs. continuous
• continuous vs. discontinuous
• continuous vs. line spectrum

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Explanation

The adjective continuous describes something that occurs over space or time without interruption. Some computer fans make a continuous noise — a constant buzz — that can drive you to distraction. Continuous things don’t stop, not even for a coffee break. A continuous sheet of ice has no cracks, a continuous noise never pauses, and a continuous line of railroad is the kind you want if you’re on a train. Continual, on the other hand, is used to describe things that start and stop occasionally. Use continuous for anything that goes on and on.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

continuous

Stair-climbing has stumped the robotics field for decades, as the activity requires continuous center-of-gravity shifts and visual information processing.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

The continuous satellite record began in 1978 with NASA's Nimbus-7 spacecraft.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

After centuries thriving in the Po basin, producers are now trying dry-seeding, which works without continuous flooding.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, a government agency, says the islands are part of a continuous shelf extending from northern Luzon, the main Philippine island.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

At first sight, Pascal’s claim that progress has been continuous seems nonsense: we would accumulate experience from generation to generation only if we had a reliable way of recording and transmitting it.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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Related Words

• continued
• endless
• extended
• regular
• repeated
• stable
• steady
• unbroken
• unceasing
• uninterrupted

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