HOW TO PRONOUNCE
continent
/ˈkɑntɪnənt/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does continent mean?
noun
- One of the main contiguous landmasses, separated by water or geological features, on the surface of a planet, sometimes including its continental shelves and the islands on them.
- Each of the traditional main regions into which the Earth’s land surface is divided, including both an extent of mainland and various conventionally associated islands, etc; namely, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australasia/Oceania, North America, South America, and Antarctica.
- (figuratively) A large connected expanse of something in general.
More meanings (15)
adjective
- Exercising self-restraint; controlled, temperate with respect to one’s bodily needs or passions, especially sex.
- Having voluntary control over one’s urination or defecation.
- (obsolete) Not interrupted; connected; continuous, whether in time or space.
- (obsolete) Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing.
- (obsolete) Containing or capable of containing.
noun
- An Encratite.
- (obsolete) A large contiguous landmass as opposed to its islands, peninsulas, and so forth; mainland. Also specifically, the Old World continent of Europe–Asia–Africa: see the Continent.
- (obsolete) Any continuous tract or area of land; country, connected region.
- (obsolete) Land (as opposed to the water), dry land.
- (obsolete) The body or mass of a celestial body such as the sun or moon.
- (obsolete) Container, vessel, something that holds or contains something else.
- (obsolete) Space, capacity.
- (obsolete) The principal or essential points of something viewed collectively: sum, summary, substance.
proper noun
- Mainland Europe, as seen from the British Isles.
- (obsolete) The Old World.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈkɑntɪnənt/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
Ray could talk well about the large part of the continent over which he had been knocked about, and Johnny was appreciative.
AFTER more than a fortnight spent in the highlands of Scotland, Jerome passed hastily through London on his way to the continent.
More book examples (3)
Of a certainty Englishmen in whatever continent or island of this world would never tolerate such a tyrannical interference with their rights.
It will still be the most alluring and elusive sprite that ever led the way through a Dark Continent of mysterious phenomena.
If these creatures lived all on the same continent, we should unhesitatingly look upon them as forming a well-defined, natural little group.