perpetual - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

per·pet·u·al

Audio Help [per-pech-oo-uh

l] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	continuing or enduring forever; everlasting.

2.	lasting an indefinitely long time: perpetual snow.

3.	continuing or continued without intermission or interruption; ceaseless: a perpetual stream of visitors all day.

4.	blooming almost continuously throughout the season or the year.

–noun

5.	a hybrid rose that is perpetual.

6.	a perennial plant.

[Origin: 1300–50; late ME perpetuall < L perpetuālis permanent, equiv. to perpetu(us) uninterrupted (per- per- + pet-, base of petere to seek, reach for + -uus deverbal adj. suffix) + -ālis -al¹; r. ME perpetuel < MF < L as above

]

—Related forms

per·pet·u·al·i·ty, per·pet·u·al·ness, noun

per·pet·u·al·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. permanent, enduring. See eternal. 3. continuous, incessant, constant, unending, uninterrupted.

—Antonyms 1. temporary. 3. discontinuous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
perpetual

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

per·pet·u·al Audio Help (pər-pěch'ōō-əl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Lasting for eternity.
Continuing or lasting for an indefinitely long time.
Instituted to be in effect or have tenure for an unlimited duration: a treaty of perpetual friendship.
Continuing without interruption. See Synonyms at continual.
Flowering throughout the growing season.

[Middle English perpetuel, from Old French, from Latin perpetuālis, from perpetuus, continuous : per-, per- + petere, to go toward; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]

per·pet'u·al·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
perpetual

c.1340, from O.Fr. perpetuel (12c.), from L. perpetualis "universal," in M.L. "permanent," from perpetuus "continuous, universal," from perpetis, gen. of Old L. perpes "lasting," probably from per- "through" + root of petere "to seek, go to, aim at" (see petition). The verb perpetuate is first recorded 1530; perpetuity is from 1406. Perpetual motion is attested from 1593.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

perpetual
adjective
1.	continuing forever or indefinitely; "the ageless themes of love and revenge"; "eternal truths"; "life everlasting"; "hell's perpetual fires"; "the unending bliss of heaven" [syn: ageless]
2.	uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing; "the ceaseless thunder of surf"; "in constant pain"; "night and day we live with the incessant noise of the city"; "the never-ending search for happiness"; "the perpetual struggle to maintain standards in a democracy"; "man's unceasing warfare with drought and isolation"; "unremitting demands of hunger" [syn: ceaseless]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
perpetual [pəˈpetʃuəl] adjective

lasting for ever or for a long time; occurring repeatedly over a long time
Example: He lives in perpetual fear of being discovered; perpetual noise

Arabic:	يُخَلِّد، يُديم
Chinese (Simplified):	永恒的，永久的
Chinese (Traditional):	永恆的，永久的
Czech:	neustálý, věčný
Danish:	evig
Dutch:	eeuwig, aanhoudend
Estonian:	lakkamatu
Finnish:	ikuinen
French:	perpétuel
German:	fortwährend
Greek:	αέναος, συνεχής
Hungarian:	örök(ké tartó)
Icelandic:	eilífur, sífelldur
Indonesian:	terus-menerus
Italian:	perpetuo, continuo

Japanese:	絶え間のない
Korean:	영구적인; 끊임없는
Latvian:	mūžīgs; nebeidzams
Lithuanian:	amžinas, nuolatinis
Norwegian:	konstant, evig(varende), uopphørlig
Polish:	wieczny, nieustanny
Portuguese (Brazil):	perpétuo
Portuguese (Portugal):	perpétuo
Romanian:	neîncetat
Russian:	постоянный;бесконечный
Slovak:	neustály
Slovenian:	večen
Spanish:	perpetuo, eterno, continuo
Swedish:	ständig, oavbruten
Turkish:	sürekli

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Perpetual

Cal"en*dar\, n. [OE. kalender, calender, fr. L. kalendarium an interest or account book (cf. F. calendrier, OF. calendier) fr. L. calendue, kalendae, calends. See Calends.]

1. An orderly arrangement of the division of time, adapted to the purposes of civil life, as years, months, weeks, and days; also, a register of the year with its divisions; an almanac.

2. (Eccl.) A tabular statement of the dates of feasts, offices, saints' days, etc., esp. of those which are liable to change yearly according to the varying date of Easter.

3. An orderly list or enumeration of persons, things, or events; a schedule; as, a calendar of state papers; a calendar of bills presented in a legislative assembly; a calendar of causes arranged for trial in court; a calendar of a college or an academy.

Note: Shepherds of people had need know the calendars of tempests of state. --Bacon.

Calendar clock, one that shows the days of the week and month.

Calendar month. See under Month.

French Republican calendar. See under Vend['e]miaire.

Gregorian calendar, Julian calendar, Perpetual calendar. See under Gregorian, Julian, and Perpetual.

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