Meanings
plural continuants
- human sciencesA linguistic sound other than a stop.
- mathematicsA determinant formed from a tridiagonal matrix.
As a further point of clarification, notice that (C0) does not characterize a criterion for determining whether a continuant x of kind K that exists at t 1 is identical to a continuant y of kind K that exists at t 2 .
2007 July 18, Thomas Sattig, “Identity in 4D”, in Philosophical Studies, volume 140, number 2, →DOI - epistemologyAn endurant.
- etymologyAn inherited descendant.
It must moreover be noted that the Sardinian lexicon does not in fact present evidence for the identification of -V́rr- as a pre-Roman suffix. More convincing is Wolf's identification of this word [lipòrra] as a continuant of *lepórna < *lepórĭna << Lat. leporīnus 'of hares, hare-'.
2025, Cid Swanenvleugel, The Pre-Roman Elements of the Sardinian Lexicon, page 90
comparative more continuant · superlative most continuant
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveof speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as ‘f’, ‘s’, ‘z’, or ‘th’ in both ‘thin’ and ‘then’)
nounconsonant articulated by constricting (but not closing) the vocal tract
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
- Proto-Italic*kom
- Proto-Italic*kom-
- Latincon-
- Proto-Indo-European*ten-
- Proto-Indo-European*tn̥eh₁yéti
- Proto-Italic*tenēō
- Latinteneō
- Latincontin(eō)
- Latincontinuus
- Latincontinuō
- Old Frenchcontinuer
- Middle Englishcontinuen
- Englishcontinue
- Englishcontinuant
Translations
Greek εξακολουθητικό
- εξακολουθητικό (exakolouthitikó)linguistics: a linguistic sound other than a stop
Hungarian folytonos mássalhangzó (folyamatos), folytonos
- folytonos mássalhangzó (folyamatos)linguistics: a linguistic sound other than a stop
- folytonoscontinuing, prolonged, sustained
- folyamatoscontinuing, prolonged, sustained
Polish kontynuant, ciągły
- kontynuantlinguistics: a linguistic sound other than a stop
- ciągłycontinuing, prolonged, sustained
- nieprzerwanycontinuing, prolonged, sustained
Cite this entry
continuant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/continuant
“continuant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/continuant. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “continuant,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/continuant.
Source: continuant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.