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| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin constant- (stem of constāns, present participle of constāre to stand firm), equivalent to con- con- + stā- stand + -nt- present participle suffix
Related forms
1. unchanging, immutable, permanent. 2. perpetual, unremitting, uninterrupted. 3. incessant, ceaseless. 4. loyal, staunch, true. See faithful. 5. steady, unwavering, unswerving.
1. changeable. 2. fitful. 3. sporadic. 4. unreliable. 5. wavering.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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| constant (ˈkɒnstənt) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | fixed and invariable; unchanging |
| 2. | continual or continuous; incessant: constant interruptions |
| 3. | resolute in mind, purpose, or affection; loyal |
| —n | |
| 4. | something that is permanent or unchanging |
| 5. | a specific quantity that is always invariable: the velocity of light is a constant |
| 6. | a. maths a symbol representing an unspecified number that remains invariable throughout a particular series of operations |
| b. physics a theoretical or experimental quantity or property that is considered invariable throughout a particular series of calculations or experiments | |
| 7. | See logical constant |
| [C14: from Old French, from Latin constāns standing firm, from constāre to be steadfast, from stāre to stand] | |
| 'constantly | |
| —adv | |
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constant
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constant con·stant (kŏn'stənt)
adj.
Continually occurring; persistent.
Unchanging in nature, value, or extent; invariable.
A quantity assumed to have a fixed value in a specified mathematical context.
An experimental or theoretical condition, factor, or quantity that does not vary or that is regarded as invariant in specified circumstances.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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constant  (kŏn'stənt) Pronunciation Key
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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constant definition
A number that appears in equations and formulas and does not vary or change. Examples are Planck's constant and the speed of light.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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constant
a number, value, or object that has a fixed magnitude, physically or abstractly, as a part of a specific operation or discussion. In mathematics the term refers to a quantity (often represented by a symbol-e.g., pi, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter) that does not change in a certain discussion or operation, or to a variable that can assume only one value. In logic it is a term with an invariant denotation (any symbol with a fixed designation, such as a connective or quantifier).
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