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Webster 1913 Edition

Continental

Conˊti-nen′tal

,
Adj.
1.
Of or pertaining to a continent.
2.
Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England;
as, a
continental
tour; a
continental
coalition
.
Macaulay.
No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of
continental
alliances.
Hallam.
3.
(Amer. Hist.)
Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War;
as,
Continental
money
.
The army before Boston was designated as the
Continental
army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the “Ministerial army.”
W. Irving.
Continental Congress
.
See under
Congress
.
–
Continental system
(Hist.)
,
the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe.

Conˊti-nen′tal

,
Noun.
1.
(Amer. Hist.)
A soldier in the Continental army. See
Continental
,
Adj.
, 3.
2.
(Amer. Hist.)
a piece of the Continental currency, paper money issued under authority of the Continental Congress. See
Continental
,
Adj.
, 3.

Webster 1828 Edition

Continental

CONTINENTAL

,
Adj.
Pertaining or relating to a continent; as the continental powers of Europe. In America, pertaining to the United States, as continental money, in distinction from what pertains to the separate states; a word much used during the revolution.

Definition 2024

Continental

Continental

See also: continental

English

Adjective

Continental ‎(not comparable)

  1. Alternative form of continental, continental European.

continental

continental

See also: Continental

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

continental ‎(comparative more continental, superlative most continental)

  1. Of or relating to a continent or continents.
    continental drift‎
    • Henry Hallam (1777-1859)
      No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances.
  2. In the main part of a country or region, as opposed to on one of its islands.
    continental Europe‎
  3. (chiefly in the UK) Characteristic of the style of continental Europe, as opposed to British.
    continental breakfast‎
    • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 29686887 , chapter IV:
      “My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. ¶ Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. ¶ “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”
  4. (US, historical) Of or relating to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War.
    continental money‎

Synonyms

  • (in the main part of a country or region, as opposed to on one of its islands): mainland
  • (characteristic of the style of continental Europe) European

Antonyms

  • (characteristic of the style of continental Europe): British, English

Translations

Derived terms

Noun

continental ‎(plural continentals)

  1. Someone from the continent.
    • 2012, Marjorie Senechal, I Died for Beauty: Dorothy Wrinch and the Cultures of Science
      Reflecting on his long career chronicling scientists, J. G. Crowther wondered why it was that in the grand debates over the nature of light, x-rays, and cathode rays, the British opted for particles and the continentals for waves.
  2. (US, historical) A member of the Continental army.
  3. (US, historical) Paper scrip (paper money) issued by the continental congress, largely worthless by the end of the war.
  4. (by extension) The smallest amount; a whit; a jot.
    not worth a continental
    I don't care a continental!

Catalan

Adjective

continental m, f ‎(masculine and feminine plural continentals)

  1. continental

French

Etymology

continent +‎ -al

Adjective

continental m ‎(feminine singular continentale, masculine plural continentaux, feminine plural continentales)

  1. continental

Portuguese

Adjective

continental m, f ‎(plural continentais, comparable)

  1. continental

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from French continental.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌkon.ti.nenˈtal/

Adjective

continental m, n ‎(feminine singular continentală, masculine plural continentali, feminine and neuter plural continentale)

  1. continental

Declension

Related terms

Spanish

Adjective

continental m, f ‎(plural continentales)

  1. continental

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɛntəl

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