Definition of continuum
continua
play \kən-ˈtin-yü-ə\ alsocontinuums
1 : a coherent whole characterized as a collection, sequence, or progression of values or elements varying by minute degrees “good” and “bad” … stand at opposite ends of a continuum instead of describing the two halves of a line — Wayne Shumaker
2 : the set of real numbers including both the rationals and the irrationals; broadly : a compact set which cannot be separated into two sets neither of which contains a limit point of the other
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Examples of continuum in a Sentence
His motives for volunteering lie somewhere on the continuum between charitable and self-serving.
a continuum of temperatures ranging from very cold to very hot
Recent Examples of continuum from the Web
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The result is a classic nonfiction braid that reinforces his central point: that Haidara’s Indiana Jones-style work to save the hippocampus of the Songhay kingdom is just one more incredible tale in the continuum of Timbuktu.
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Back to the Future’ movies, was given a speeding ticket recently for going the exact speed that broke the space-time continuum in the classic films.
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Her label now represents a much more modest image, perhaps recognizing exactly where on the retail continuum her products truly reside.
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Another reason why White couldn't break the space-time continuum?
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On the continuum between with-the-program loyalty and pecker-in-my-pocket loyalty, Trump clearly wants the latter.
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Under its compelling influence, we are lured into feeling that these various lives, marked by vacuity and frustration, are in some way destined to end at the point of a gun—that the murderer and his victims coexist on a continuum of despair.
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Like many an academically beloved poet — say, Ezra Pound or T. S. Eliot — Mr. Dylan has always placed himself on a literary continuum where allusions focus and amplify meaning.
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People often think there is a linear continuum of best to worst options, says Mr. Stemler.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'continuum'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of continuum
Latin, neuter of continuus —see continuous
First Known Use: 1646
CONTINUUM Defined for English Language Learners
continuum
playDefinition of continuum for English Language Learners
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: a range or series of things that are slightly different from each other and that exist between two different possibilities
Learn More about continuum
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Britannica English: Translation of continuum for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about continuum
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