perpetual
Americanadjective
-
continuing or enduring forever; everlasting.
- Antonyms:
- temporary
-
lasting an indefinitely long time.
perpetual snow.
-
continuing or continued without intermission or interruption; ceaseless.
a perpetual stream of visitors all day.
- Synonyms:
- uninterrupted, unending, constant, incessant, continuous
- Antonyms:
- discontinuous
-
blooming almost continuously throughout the season or the year.
noun
-
a hybrid rose that is perpetual.
-
a perennial plant.
adjective
-
(usually prenominal) eternal; permanent
-
(usually prenominal) seemingly ceaseless because often repeated
your perpetual complaints
-
horticulture blooming throughout the growing season or year
noun
-
(of a crop plant) continually producing edible parts: perpetual spinach
-
a plant that blooms throughout the growing season
Related Words
See eternal.
Other Word Forms
- nonperpetual adjective
- perpetuality noun
- perpetually adverb
- perpetualness noun
- quasi-perpetual adjective
Etymology
Origin of perpetual
First recorded in 1300–50; late Middle English perpetuall, from Latin perpetuālis “permanent, universal, general,” equivalent to perpetu(us) “continuous, uninterrupted” ( per- “through, thoroughly” + pet-, base of petere “to seek, reach for” + -uus adjective suffix derived from a verb) + -ālis adjective suffix; replacing Middle English perpetuel, from Middle French, from Latin as above; per-, -al 1
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.
They repeatedly moved to dismiss the treason count, noting that conviction required a “breach of allegiance, and can be committed by him only who owes allegiance either perpetual or temporary.”
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
The 30-year-old previously told SiriusXM host Julia Cunningham she'd discovered she had "a perpetual back problem" during a gruelling, months-long training regime in the run-up to the show.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
While we continue to see great merit in letting more information flow into the market before making decisions, we also recognize that many investors are addicted to perpetual motion.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
The launch marks the first licensed perpetual derivative contract based on the index.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
“You did that on purpose!” the perpetual puzzler yells.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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.
