First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
perpetual
adjective per·pet·u·al \pər-ˈpe-chə-wəl, -chəl; -ˈpech-wəl\
: continuing forever or for a very long time without stopping
: happening all the time or very often
Full Definition of PERPETUAL
1
a : continuing forever : everlasting <perpetual motion> b (1) : valid for all time <a perpetual right> (2) : holding (as an office) for life or for an unlimited time
2
: occurring continually : indefinitely long-continued <perpetual problems>
3
: blooming continuously throughout the season
— per·pet·u·al·ly adverb
See perpetual defined for English-language learners
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Examples of PERPETUAL
- As always, I was struck by how the core values of the military—service and discipline, both physical and intellectual—are so different from the perpetual American Mardi Gras. —Joe Klein, Time, 29 Aug. 2005
- Because Hunter had been a perpetual Peter Pan, accepting the bleak reality of his death came hard. —Douglas Brinkley, Rolling Stone, 22 Sept. 2005
- He's addicted to the perpetual flux of the information networks. He craves his next data fix. He's a speed freak, an info junkie. —David Brooks, Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2001
- Only after I had built to the emotional peroration culminating in the word “astonishing” was I at last sufficiently unastonished by the force of my feelings to be able to put together a couple of hours of sleep—or something resembling sleep, for, even half out of it, I was a biography in perpetual motion, memory to the marrow of my bones. —Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
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Origin of PERPETUAL
Middle English perpetuel, from Anglo-French, from Latin perpetuus uninterrupted, from per- through + petere to go to — more at feather
Related to PERPETUAL
- Synonyms
- ceaseless, continual, continued, continuing, incessant, nonstop, continuous, running, unbroken, unceasing, uninterrupted, unremitting
- Antonyms
- discontinuous, noncontinuous
Synonym Discussion of PERPETUAL
continual, continuous, constant, incessant, perpetual, perennial mean characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence. continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence <continual showers the whole weekend>. continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension <football's oldest continuous rivalry>. constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence <lived in constant pain>. incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity <annoyed by the incessant quarreling>. perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration <a land of perpetual snowfall>. perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal <a perennial source of controversy>.
PERPETUAL Defined for Kids
perpetual
adjective per·pet·u·al \pər-ˈpe-chə-wəl\
Definition of PERPETUAL for Kids
1
: lasting forever or for a very long time <a perpetual memorial>
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