continual
continual Lexical Profile
continual Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Forming a sequence in which the same action or event is repeated frequently, with brief intervals between occurrences.
"The project was delayed by continual changes to the design specifications."
Continuing without any interruption or cessation; unending.
"She has remained in continual contact with her childhood mentors throughout her career."
Word Nuance & Usage
In careful usage, 'continual' describes actions that recur frequently with brief pauses between them (such as continual phone calls), whereas 'continuous' describes something that proceeds without any interruption at all (such as a continuous hum).
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French continuel, from Latin continuus ('joining, uninterrupted'), derived from continere ('to hold together').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.