continuum

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin continuum, neuter form of continuus, from contineō (“contain, enclose”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˈtɪnjuəm/

Noun

continuum (plural continuums or continua)

1. A continuous series or whole, no part of which is noticeably different from its adjacent parts, although the ends or extremes of it are very different from each other.
2. A continuous extent.
   • 2012 March 1, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 2, page 112-3:

     A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place.

3. (mathematics) The set of all real numbers and, more generally, a compact connected metric space.
4. (music) A touch-sensitive strip, similar to an electronic standard musical keyboard, except that the note steps are ¹⁄₁₀₀ of a semitone, and so are not separately marked.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkontinuːm/
• Hyphenation: con‧ti‧nuum

Noun

continuum

1. (music) continuum (type of electronic instrument)

Adjective

continuum

1. nominative neuter singular of continuus
2. accusative masculine singular of continuus
3. accusative neuter singular of continuus
4. vocative neuter singular of continuus

References

• continuum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin continuum.

Noun

continuum m (plural continuuns or continua)

1. continuum (series where neighbouring elements are very similar, but distant elements are very different)