Nearby Words

constant

[kon-stuhnt] Origin

con·stant

[kon-stuhnt]
adjective
1.
not changing or varying; uniform; regular; invariable: All conditions during the three experiments were constant.
2.
continuing without pause or letup; unceasing: constant noise.
3.
regularly recurrent; continual; persistent: He found it impossible to work with constant interruption.
4.
faithful; unswerving in love, devotion, etc.: a constant lover.
5.
steadfast; firm in mind or purpose; resolute.
EXPAND
6.
Obsolete. certain; confident.
COLLAPSE
noun
7.
something that does not or cannot change or vary.
8.
Physics. a number expressing a property, quantity, or relation that remains unchanged under specified conditions.
9.
Mathematics. a quantity assumed to be unchanged throughout a given discussion.

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Constant is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
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.

Origin:
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

con·stant·ly, adverb
non·con·stant, noun, adjective
o·ver·con·stant, adjective
o·ver·con·stant·ly, adverb
o·ver·con·stant·ness, noun
EXPAND
qua·si-con·stant, adjective
qua·si-con·stant·ly, adverb
un·con·stant, adjective
un·con·stant·ly, adverb
COLLAPSE


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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Con·stant

[kawn-stahn]
noun
1.
Paul Hen·ri Ben·ja·min Bal·luat [pawl ahn-ree ban-zha-man ba-lwa] . Estournelles de Constant, Paul.
2.
Jean Jo·seph Ben·ja·min [zhahn zhaw-zef ban-zha-man] , 1845–1902, French painter.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
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

Constant (French kɔ̃stɑ̃)
 
n
Benjamin (bɛ̃ʒamɛ̃). real name Henri Benjamin Constant de Rebecque. 1767--1830, French writer and politician: author of the psychological novel Adolphe (1816)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

constant
late 14c., "steadfast, resolute," from L. constantem (nom. constans) "standing firm, stable, steadfast," prp. of constare, from com- "together" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Of actions and conditions from 1653.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

constant con·stant (kŏn'stənt)
adj.

  1. Continually occurring; persistent.

  2. Unchanging in nature, value, or extent; invariable.

n.
  1. A quantity assumed to have a fixed value in a specified mathematical context.

  2. An experimental or theoretical condition, factor, or quantity that does not vary or that is regarded as invariant in specified circumstances.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
constant   (kŏn'stənt)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. A quantity that is unknown but assumed to have a fixed value in a specified mathematical context.

  2. A theoretical or experimental quantity, condition, or factor that does not vary in specified circumstances. Avogadro's number and Planck's constant are examples of constants.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

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.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

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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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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