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

Health authorities across multiple continents are tracking dozens of passengers who disembarked before the outbreak was confirmed, raising concerns about potential exposure among the general population. —Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026

But in 2015, that changed when the sea ice fringing this vast, icy continent stopped expanding and began to decline dramatically. —Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 May 2026

The operation spanned continents and involved coordinated efforts by law enforcement and tech companies. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026

Health authorities across four continents were continuing to track down and monitor passengers who disembarked the ship before the deadly outbreak was detected, and are trying to trace others who may have come into contact with them since then. —ABC News, 8 May 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