continuity

American  

[kon-tn-oo-i-tee, -tn-yoo] / ˌkɒn tnˈu ɪ ti, -tnˈju /

noun

• continuities
  plural

1. the state or quality of being continuous.

2. a continuous or connected whole.

   Synonyms:

   progression, flow

3. a motion-picture scenario giving the complete action, scenes, etc., in detail and in the order in which they are to be shown on the screen.

4. the spoken part of a radio or television script that serves as introductory or transitional material on a nondramatic program.

5. Mathematics. the property of a continuous function.

6. Usually continuities. sets of merchandise, as dinnerware or encyclopedias, given free or sold cheaply by a store to shoppers as a sales promotion.

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continuity British  

/ ˌkɒntɪˈnjuːɪtɪ /

noun

1. logical sequence, cohesion, or connection

2. a continuous or connected whole

3. the comprehensive script or scenario of detail and movement in a film or broadcast

4. the continuous projection of a film, using automatic rewind

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noncontinuity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• continuities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of continuity

1375–1425; late Middle English continuite < Anglo-French < Latin continuitās, equivalent to continu ( us ) continuous + -itās -ity

Explanation

Continuity has to do with how things happen over time: if there aren't any bumps or breaks and everything goes on continuously, then there's continuity. Continuity has to do with consistency. If you have the same Spanish teacher for several semesters, that's great continuity. If you have five different teachers in one year, that's awful continuity. In TV and movies, continuity involves keeping the plot and characters consistent from one scene to the next. It drives fans crazy when a character is allergic to peanuts in one episode, and then eats a peanut butter sandwich in the next one.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

continuity continuities

Two technocratic deputy finance ministers were appointed, easing concerns over policy continuity following the cabinet reshuffle, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

One advantage of naming an entity like a professional trust company in this role is continuity.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

In the decades since Diana died, the royal family has successfully recast itself in a softer light and as a beacon of patriotic continuity in turbulent times.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Tata Group stocks first soared and then crashed as the tensions mounted, reflecting hope and uncertainty about leadership and business continuity amid several high-stakes but loss-making bets by Chandrasekharan in sectors like semiconductors and airlines.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

“Oh, yes, I have a hand in everything. Scene setting, how the actors move, title cards, camera effects. I envision the whole movie in my head and get it all down in the continuity script.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

But by bringing his archaeological focus to bear on the question, Mr. Blair unearths some puzzling continuities and raises the stakes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

And what I'm interested in, more broadly, is to emphasize these continuities.

From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2024

And in terms of immigration policy in general, there are unfortunately far more continuities between the different administrations than we like to think.

From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2023

Two world wars, genocide, a new surveillance state: as German identity has been riven again and again by historical events in the last century, what continuities can we expect from its fiction?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2023

Connexions and continuities are supposed to be foreign to experience, to be by-products of dubious validity.

From Creative Intelligence Essays in the Pragmatic Attitude by Boyd H. Bode

Related Words

• cohesion
• constancy
• continuum
• durability
• persistence
• stability
• stamina
• survival
• unity
• vitality