discontinuous
Americanadjective
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not continuous; broken; interrupted; intermittent.
a discontinuous chain of mountains; a discontinuous argument.
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Mathematics. (of a function at a point) not continuous at the point.
adjective
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characterized by interruptions or breaks; intermittent
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maths (of a function or curve) changing suddenly in value for one or more values of the variable or at one or more points Compare continuous
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of discontinuous
From the Medieval Latin word discontinuus, dating back to 1660–70. See dis- 1, continuous
Compare meaning
How does discontinuous compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Vocabulary lists containing discontinuous
AB Calculus
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Calculus, List 1
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BC Calculus
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Discontinuous innovations are those that rise to the level of game-changing potential.
From Forbes • Sep. 29, 2014
Discontinuous variation is the variation seen among individuals when each individual shows one of two—or a very few—easily distinguishable traits, such as violet or white flowers.
From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013
Discontinuous variations, on the other hand, are as a rule differences in an individual from the normal type and from its parents of considerable degree, and are conspicuous: these are what are called mutations.
From Hormones and Heredity by Cunningham, J. T.
An admirable title for his biography would be, "The Fits and Starts of a Discontinuous Soul."
From The Mirrors of Downing Street Some Political Reflections by a Gentleman with a Duster by Begbie, Harold
By the combination and repetition of a finite number of geometrical Discontinuous groups arising from geometrical operations. operations such as displacements, projective transformations, inversions, &c., a discontinuous group of such operations will arise.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
