continent

1 of 2

noun

con·​ti·​nent ˈkän-tə-nənt 

ˈkänt-nənt

1

a

: one of the six or seven great divisions of land on the globe

b

Continent : the continent of Europe

—used with the

a tour of the Continent

2

: mainland

3

archaic : container, confines

4

archaic : epitome

continent

2 of 2

adjective

con·​ti·​nent ˈkän-tə-nənt 

1

: exercising continence

Most children are continent by the age of three.

2

obsolete : restrictive

continently adverb

Synonyms of continent

Noun

• mainland

Adjective

• temperate
• ascetic
• abstemious
• abstinent

Examples of continent in a Sentence

Noun

The book provides information on hotels in Britain and on the Continent.

Europe and Asia are sometimes considered together to be one continent.

Adjective

Most children are continent by age three.

a religious sect that expects its unmarried members to be completely celibate and its married adherents to maintain continent relationships

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Disney Theatrical Group’s shows and experiences draw close to 40 million visitors each year in 300 cities across five continents. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Europeans increasingly wonder whether the world’s fastest warming continent is adapting to climate change fast enough. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026

Native to southeast Asia, the beetle has infested every continent bar Antarctica, according to a study published in the Journal of Pest Science in June, stowing away in wood products, live plants and packaging materials. — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Thank the thousands of 911 buyers on this continent who specced their cars with stick shifts at rates far higher than Europe this decade. — Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

(senses 1-2) borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "land forming part of a continuous mass (as opposed to an island)," borrowed from Latin continent-, continens (short for terra continens), from continent-, continens, adjective, "uninterrupted, continuous, forming part of a continuous mass," from present participle of continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents"; (senses 3 & 4) probably borrowed from Medieval Latin continentia "container, content, tenor (of a document)," noun derivative of Latin continent-, continens, present participle of continēre — more at contain

Note: The regular outcome of Medieval Latin continentia following the rules for adopting such nouns in English would have been continence, but as this word was already in use as an abstract noun, writers may have resorted to continent. Note continent in Middle English used by the translator of Chauliac's Grande Chirurgie in the sense "content."

Adjective

Middle English contynent "abstemious, refraining from sexual intercourse," borrowed from Middle French continent, borrowed from Medieval Latin continent-, continens, going back to Latin, "restrained, not indulging in excesses," from present participle of continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents" — more at contain

First Known Use

Noun

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing continent

• dark continent

Rhymes for continent

• incontinent
• subcontinent

Kids Definition

continent

noun

con·​ti·​nent

ˈkänt-ᵊn-ənt, 

ˈkänt-nənt

1

: one of the great divisions of land (as North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, or Antarctica) on the globe

2

capitalized : the continent of Europe

Medical Definition

continent

adjective

con·​ti·​nent ˈkänt-ᵊn-ənt 

: exercising continence

continently adverb