Word Confusion: Contiguous versus Continuous

Posted August 11, 2020 by kddidit in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

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This pair of Word Confusions, contiguous versus continuous, differs by only one letter and seem way too similar in definition.

In truth, contiguous means two or more are next to each other with a border while continuous is never-ending…like the line at the grocery store…and no border.

You may also want to read up on “Continual versus Continuous“.

Word Confusions…

…started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noir for you from either end.

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Contiguous	Continuous
Credit to: Apple Dictionary.com; Dictionary.com: contiguous; Lexico.com: continuous
Prismatic United States by GDJ is under the Pixabay License, via Pixabay and courtesy of Needpix. — The 48 contiguous states.	Infinity in Red is under the CC0 license, via pxfuel. — An infinity loop is the ultimate in continuous.
Part of Grammar:
Adjective	Adjective
Two or more sharing a common border Two or more touching Next or together in sequence Two or more in contact Neighbouring In close proximity without actually touching Near Adjacent, preceding, or following in time	Forming an unbroken whole Without interruption Forming a series with no exceptions or reversals [Mathematics; of a function] Of which the graph is a smooth unbroken curve, i.e., one such that as the value of χ approaches any given value a, the value of f(χ) approaches that of f(a) as a limit [Grammar] Another term that describes the progressive verb
Examples:
Shipping within the 48 contiguous states is cheaper than shipping to Alaska or Hawaii. The next five hundred contiguous dictionary entries were variations on the same initial word. Apartments are contiguous with one another. Although the counties are contiguous, their laws are quite different. George Bush served two contiguous terms as president. The summer will be a series of contiguous events.	He pulled his wand out of his robes and began to concentrate and wave it around with a continuous wrist movement. But perhaps it still admits of a solution which does not require us to deny the possibility of continuous movement. People often lose weight because they have difficulty eating and burn more calories due to the continuous movement. In 1873 he gave a continuous function with divergent Fourier series at any point solving a major problem. One has to say, rather, I am writing a letter, with the continuous aspect.
Derivatives:
Adjective: contingent, noncontiguous Adverb: contiguously, noncontiguously Noun: contiguity, contingent, contiguousness	Adjective: noncontinuous Adverb: continuously, noncontinuously Noun: continuousness, noncontinuousness
History of the Word:
Early 16th century from the Latin contiguus meaning touching, from the verb contingere meaning be in contact, befall + -ous.	Mid-17th century from the Latin continuus meaning uninterrupted, which is from continere meaning hang together (from con- (together with) + tenere (hold) + -ous.