continental

[ kon-tn-en-tl ]

/ ˌkɒn tnˈɛn tl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: continental / continentals on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or of the nature of a continent.

(usually initial capital letter) of or relating to the mainland of Europe, to Europeans, or to European customs and attitudes.

(initial capital letter) of or relating to the 13 original American colonies during and immediately after the American Revolution.

of or relating to the continent of North America.

noun

(initial capital letter) a soldier of the Continental Army in the American Revolution.

a piece of paper currency issued by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution.

a small amount: advice that's not worth a continental.

an inhabitant of a continent.

(usually initial capital letter) an inhabitant of the mainland of Europe.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of continental

First recorded in 1750–60; continent + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM continental

con·ti·nen·tal·ly, adverbnon·con·ti·nen·tal, adjective, nounpre·con·ti·nen·tal, adjective

Words nearby continental

contiguity, contiguous, contin., continence, continent, continental, Continental Army, continental breakfast, Continental Celtic, continental climate, continental code

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use continental in a sentence

Southern California is the moodiest place in the continental United States when you compare its climate from year to year, according to California’s Fourth Climate Assessment.
Environment Report: The High Cost of Getting Rid of Water|MacKenzie Elmer|February 8, 2021|Voice of San Diego
Under the terms of Cudd’s release, any travel outside of the continental United States must be approved by the court.
The woman involved in the Capitol riot has not been granted permission to vacation in Mexico (yet)|Brittany Shammas|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
It went as far as him deciding, and us saying, “Well, we can kind of do a continental mid-Atlantic, you know like people do who are on the New York stage, you know it doesn’t have to be an English accent, but it can be effected somewhat.”
Rolling With James Brolin: Hollywood’s Quiet Giant|Eugene Robinson|January 29, 2021|Ozy
Hawaii employs 1,008 fewer physicians than any similarly sized and populated area in the continental US.
Hawaii managed COVID-19 better than any other state, but its residents are still at risk|Tara Santora|January 14, 2021|Popular-Science

Physiographic maps had previously been used to represent continental landforms with standardized symbols.
Marie Tharp’s groundbreaking maps brought the seafloor to the world|Betsy Mason|January 13, 2021|Science News
It is the omphalos, this city that straddles two steamboat rivers at the continental crossroads.
Those Kansas City Blues: A Family History|Katie Baker|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They marched through the streets of downtown New York to the synchronized beats of the Continental drum corps that followed.
New York’s Century-Old Time Capsule Is a Dud|Justin Jones|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The commander of the Continental Army realized that if he did not inoculate his army against smallpox, he might not have an army.
George Washington, the First Vaxxer|Tom Shachtman|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The outbreak began in Missouri and Illinois, but has now spread to almost all the continental United States.
What You Need to Know About Enterovirus|Russell Saunders|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Conceptually, the “Angel of Death” was a cultural mainstay in continental Europe and the British Isles by the late Middle Ages.
Ebola Rages in West Africa, Reigniting Humanity’s Oldest Fear: The Plague|Scott Bixby|August 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sweden excluded British goods, conformably to the continental system established by Bonaparte.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
It has long been the custom for advertisers in the continental journals to typify their wares.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
After 1815 the continental visits were resumed, and the practice of smoking began steadily to increase.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
I have seen the retreats of continental armies in my time; they are always a scene of horrors.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
His duties were to enforce the continental system and to keep a stern eye on Prussia.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

British Dictionary definitions for continental

Continental

/ (ˌkɒntɪˈnɛntəl) /

adjective

of or characteristic of Europe, excluding the British Isles

of or relating to the 13 original British North American colonies during and immediately after the War of American Independence

noun

(sometimes not capital) an inhabitant of Europe, excluding the British Isles

a regular soldier of the rebel army during the War of American Independence

US history a currency note issued by the Continental Congress

Derived forms of Continental

Continentalism, nounContinentalist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012