continents

Cultural  

1. The large parts of the surface of the Earth that rise above sea level. The seven major continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

---

Discover More

According to the theory of plate tectonics, continents move along piggy-back on the tectonic plates like rafts floating on water.

Continents are made from the lightest rocks in the Earth. Some of these are also the oldest known rocks on Earth, with an age of 3.5 billion years, measured by radioactive dating.

Example Sentences

The songs in question span genres, decades and continents, and include new artists, unsung heroes and more.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

With an estimated audience of some 350 million people on five continents, it was flower power’s finest moment.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026

Researchers have created a new global map showing where unusual volcanic rocks linked to rare earth elements are found, uncovering a striking connection to the oldest and thickest parts of Earth's continents.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

She has built a loyal fanbase, which spans across generations and continents, thanks to her joyful and romantic pop songs, which also expand into the worlds of jazz, alternative, R&B and folk.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Eurasian peoples happened to inherit many more species of domesticable large wild mammalian herbivores than did peoples of the other continents.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond