continue

Forms

continuē (adverb)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin continuus + -ē, the adverb of the adjective meaning “uninterrupted, continuous”.^[1][2][3] The adjective is itself formed from contineō (“to hold together”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Varro's De lingua Latina.^[3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

After Varro it is found in Terentianus Maurus and then in Late Latin authors such as Symmachus, Martianus Capella and Cassiodorus.^[3][4] In British Medieval Latin it meant continuously in time, continually, and assiduously or persistently.^[6]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses the adverb in De lingua Latina.^[3][5]
• c. 340–402 AD – Symmachus uses it in his letters.^[3][7][5]
• c. 485–c. 580 AD – Cassiodorus uses it in his commentary on the Psalms.^[3][5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Without interruption, continuously.^[1][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) Continually, at all times; assiduously.^[6]

Related words

• continuus
• continuō
• contineō

References

1. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
3. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.