What does continental mean?
Continental is an adjective meaning belonging or relating to a continent — one of the earth's great unbroken landmasses. In British English it carries a particularly familiar nuance: 'the Continent' means mainland Europe as opposed to the islands of Britain and Ireland, so a 'continental breakfast' (coffee and pastry rather than a cooked fry-up) or a 'continental climate' (hot summers, cold winters) evokes the European mainland specifically. In geology the word is central to major scientific concepts: continental drift describes the slow movement of landmasses across the earth's surface, while the continental shelf is the submerged edge of a continent extending beneath shallow seas. In the United States, capitalized 'Continental' refers to the revolutionary era, notably the Continental Congress and the Continental Army. Derived from the Latin continens, meaning 'holding together', the word remains useful wherever a distinction must be drawn between mainland and island, or between vast landmasses and smaller territories.
Relating to or characteristic of a continent, especially mainland Europe as distinct from Britain; in geology, relating to the earth's landmasses.
"The continental shelf drops away sharply about fifty miles offshore."
Often capitalized when referring to historical American entities such as the Continental Congress.
(Historical) A paper currency issued by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution; also, a soldier of the Continental Army.
"By 1781 the continental had depreciated so far that soldiers were paid in hard currency instead."
Almost always used in historical contexts; the phrase 'not worth a continental' became proverbial for something worthless.
Used only for the noun senses: the depreciated Revolutionary-era banknotes, or members of the Continental Army.
"Collectors pay high prices for well-preserved continentals issued in 1776."
When geologists first proposed that continents 'drift' across the planet, the idea was ridiculed for decades — today continental drift underpins all of modern plate tectonics.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of continental
Continental derives from 'continent', which comes from the Latin continens, the present participle of continere, meaning 'to hold together' — from com- ('together') plus tenere ('to hold'). The adjective formed in European languages to describe things pertaining to a mainland, with its British sense of 'relating to the Continent' (mainland Europe) becoming established by the late eighteenth century. It shares its Latin root with words such as contain, continue, and retain.
Word family
Usage notes
In British English, 'the Continent' traditionally means mainland Europe excluding the British Isles, so 'continental' often carries this specific sense. In American English it more commonly refers to any large landmass or to Revolutionary-era institutions. The capitalized form 'Continental' appears in historical contexts such as the Continental Army and Continental currency.
Don't confuse with
'Continent' is the noun referring to one of the earth's main continuous landmasses (or mainland Europe in British usage), while 'continental' is the adjective describing something belonging or relating to such a landmass.