continental Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective of or pertaining to or typical of Europe
    • a Continental breakfast
  2. adjective of or relating to or concerning the American colonies during and immediately after the American Revolutionary War
    • the Continental Army
    • the Continental Congress
  3. adjective of or relating to or characteristic of a continent
    • the continental divide
    • continental drift
  4. adjective being or concerning or limited to a continent especially the continents of North America or Europe
    • the continental United States
    • continental Europe
    • continental waters

WordNet

Con`ti*nen"tal adjective
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to a continent.
  2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition. Macaulay.
    No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances. Hallam.
  3. (Amer. Hist.) Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money.
    The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the "Ministerial army." W. Irving.
Con`ti*nen"tal noun
Definitions
  1. (Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the Continental army, or a piece of the Continental currency. See Continental, a., 3. "Not worth a continental." [said of Continental currency after the American revolution]

Webster 1913