Meanings
plural discontinuities
- A lack of continuity, regularity or sequence; a break or gap.First known use 16th c.
sharp discontinuity
5 more examples
structural discontinuity
detect a discontinuity
The data shows a clear discontinuity in temperature around 1990.
Geologists noted a discontinuity between the two rock layers.
Shock waves are sudden discontinuities propagated in compressible media – usually air.
2012, George Dyson, Turing's Cathedral, Penguin, published 2013, page 57 - mathematicsA point in the range of a function at which it is undefined or discontinuous.First known use 19th c.
- geographya subterranean interface at which seismic velocities change
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Late Latindiscontinuitās
- Englishdiscontinuity
From Late Latin discontinuitās, from discontinuus, equivalent to dis- + continuity.
More words from Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian прекъснатост, точка на прекъсване
- прекъснатост (prekăsnatost)lack of continuity
- точка на прекъсване (točka na prekăsvane)point in the range of a function
Catalan discontinuïtat
- discontinuïtatlack of continuity
Chinese Mandarin 不連續 /不连续, 不連續點 /不连续点
- 不連續 /不连续 (bùliánxù)lack of continuity
- 不連續點 /不连续点 (bùliánxùdiǎn)point in the range of a function
- 間斷點 /间断点 (jiànduàndiǎn)point in the range of a function
- 不連續面 /不连续面 (bùliánxùmiàn)subterranean interface
Dutch discontinuïteit, discontinuïteit
- discontinuïteitlack of continuity
- discontinuïteitsubterranean interface
Finnish epäjatkuvuus, epäjatkuvuus
- epäjatkuvuuslack of continuity
- epäjatkuvuuspoint in the range of a function
- epäjatkuvuuskohtapoint in the range of a function
- epäjatkuvuussubterranean interface
German Diskontinuität
- Diskontinuitätlack of continuity
Greek ασυνέχεια, διακοπή
- ασυνέχεια (asynécheia)lack of continuity
- διακοπή (diakopí)lack of continuity
- ασυνέχεια (asynécheia)point in the range of a function
- χάσμα (chásma)subterranean interface
Hindi अनिरंतरता
- अनिरंतरता (anirantartā)lack of continuity
Indonesian diskontinuitas, diskontinuitas
- diskontinuitaslack of continuity
- diskontinuitaspoint in the range of a function
- diskontinuitassubterranean interface
Malay ketakselanjaran
- ketakselanjaranpoint in the range of a function
Portuguese descontinuidade
- descontinuidadelack of continuity
Spanish discontinuidad
- discontinuidadlack of continuity
Swedish diskontinuitet, diskontinuitet
- diskontinuitetlack of continuity
- diskontinuitetpoint in the range of a function
Tagalog dikatuluyan
- dikatuluyanlack of continuity
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with discontinuity
All rhymes →Cite this entry
discontinuity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discontinuity
“discontinuity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discontinuity. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “discontinuity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discontinuity.
Source: discontinuity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.