English
continuum
Continuum comes from Latin contineō ‘contain, enclose’, from teneō ‘to hold’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch, extend’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-‘to stretch, extend’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tn̥eh₁yétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tenēō‘to hold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEteneō‘to hold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontineō‘contain, enclose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontinuum
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-‘to stretch, extend’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tn̥eh₁yétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tenēō‘to hold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEteneō‘to hold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontineō‘contain, enclose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontinuum
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
Earliest quotation: 2012, Henry Petroski, Opening Doors: “A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch, extend’
tight, entertainment, maintenance, tone, tune, obtain, tender, ton, tonic, tendon, tenacious, pristine, pertinent, tetanus, countenance, tantra, tendinitis, maintainer, hypotenuse, retentive, 67 more
through Latin teneō ‘to hold’
tennis, retain, sustain, tenant, detention, container, tenor, retention, rein, tenacity, detain, tenet, sustenance, abstain, abstinence, pertain, tenement, tenable, retinue, abstention, abstinent, 23 more
through Latin contineō ‘contain, enclose’
Today it means
noun 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.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ten- / continuum