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sempiternal

[sem-pi-tur-nl]
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adjective Literary.
  1. everlasting; eternal.
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Origin of sempiternal

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin sempiternālis, equivalent to Latin sempitern(us) everlasting semp(er) always + -i- -i- + -ternus suffix of temporal adjectives; see eterne) + -ālis -al1
Related formssem·pi·ter·nal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for sempiternal

Historical Examples

  • Wherefore he is neither now or then, but sempiternal and for ever.

    The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, vol. 3 (of 4) part 2 (of 2)

    Valmiki

  • But this is not true in the case of necessary, constant, and sempiternal realities.

    Aristotle

    George Grote

  • Madame d'Argeles's sempiternal smile had altogether disappeared.

    The Count's Millions

    Emile Gaboriau

  • This he will only have by inaction, by mewing his sempiternal youth in his cage and on his perch.

    Lore of Proserpine

    Maurice Hewlett

  • Was there no chance of accident or illness befalling the sempiternal Emily de la Rose?

British Dictionary definitions for sempiternal

sempiternal

adjective
  1. literary everlasting; eternal
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Derived Formssempiternally, adverbsempiternity (ˌsɛmpɪˈtɜːnɪtɪ), noun

Word Origin

C15: from Old French sempiternel, from Late Latin sempiternālis, from Latin sempiternus, from semper always + aeternus eternal
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

Word Origin and History for sempiternal

adj.

c.1400, from Old French sempiternel "eternal, everlasting" (13c.) or directly from Late Latin sempiternalis, from Latin sempiternus "everlasting," from semper "always, ever" (see semper-) + aeternus "eternal" (see eternal). Related: Sempiternally.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper