continental
gb/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl/ us/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl/
B1
English
~ 5200
kontinentális európai, kontinentális, szárazföldi, kontinentális reggeli
B2
1
Usage pattern:
continental [noun]
Many British tourists spend the summer on continental beaches.
Sok brit turista az európai kontinens tengerpartjain tölti a nyarat.
She prefers continental fashion to traditional British styles.
Jobban kedveli a kontinentális európai divatot, mint a hagyományos brit stílusokat.
The restaurant serves mostly continental dishes with a modern twist.
Rail travel across continental Europe is fast and convenient.
The film has a very continental feel in its setting and characters.
Learner examples
We took a trip across continental Europe by train.
Vonattal utaztuk be a kontinentális Európát.
He likes continental food such as pasta and tapas.
Szereti a kontinentális európai ételeket, például a tésztát és a tapast.
This town has a very continental style of café.
My parents enjoy continental holidays in Spain and Italy.
She bought some continental magazines at the airport.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use “continental” to mean simply “European” without the idea of mainland Europe. In British English, “continental” usually contrasts mainland Europe with the British Isles. Use “European” if you mean all of Europe, including islands.
Meaning
relating to mainland Europe
Collocations
continental Europe
|continental holiday
|continental lifestyle
|continental cuisine
|continental visitors
Synonyms
European (Broader and more common; does not always carry the specific contrast with the UK that “continental” often has in British English.)
Antonyms
British (In UK English, often used as the contrasting term for things from the islands rather than mainland Europe.)
Themes
geography
|culture
|travel
|space
Definition
About mainland Europe, not the islands like Britain or Ireland.
Relating to or characteristic of mainland Europe, especially as distinct from the British Isles or other nearby islands.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
continental [climate / weather / conditions]
Winnipeg has a distinctly continental climate with very cold winters.
Winnipeg éghajlata kifejezetten kontinentális, nagyon hideg telekkel.
The region’s continental weather makes heating costs high in winter.
A térség kontinentális időjárása miatt télen magasak a fűtési költségek.
Forests in continental areas face extreme temperature changes each year.
Researchers compared coastal and continental climates across the country.
Continental conditions in the interior make agriculture challenging.
Learner examples
The city has a continental climate with hot summers.
A városnak kontinentális éghajlata van, forró nyarakkal.
In a continental climate, winter is very cold.
Kontinentális éghajlaton a tél nagyon hideg.
This area is far from the sea, so the climate is continental.
A continental climate can change quickly from hot to cold.
Scientists study how a continental climate affects plants.
Common mistake:
Learners may think “continental” always means “European” because of its other meanings. When you see “continental climate,” it refers to the type of weather, not to Europe in particular.
Meaning
describing an inland-type climate
Collocations
continental climate
|strongly continental
|continental weather patterns
|continental interior
|continental conditions
Synonyms
inland (Describes location rather than climate itself, but often implies similar weather patterns.)
Antonyms
maritime (A maritime climate is strongly influenced by the sea, with milder temperatures and smaller seasonal changes.)
Themes
science
|geography
|environment
|weather
|nature
Definition
Describes weather in places far from the sea, with very hot summers and very cold winters.
Describing a climate with hot or warm summers and cold winters, typical of inland areas far from the moderating influence of the sea.
B2
3
szárazföldi
B1
Usage pattern:
continental [country name / region]
They drove across the continental United States in three weeks.
Három hét alatt átautózták az Egyesült Államok kontinentális részét.
Most of the population lives in the continental part of the country.
A lakosság többsége az ország szárazföldi részén él.
Shipping costs are lower within the continental U.S. than to Hawaii or Alaska.
The law applies only to continental France, not to its overseas departments.
Wildlife on the islands differs greatly from that on the continental mainland.
Learner examples
We visited many states in the continental United States.
Az Egyesült Államok kontinentális részén sok államot meglátogattunk.
This ticket is only for travel in the continental U.S.
Ez a jegy csak az Egyesült Államok kontinentális területén belüli utazásra érvényes.
Most people in this country live in the continental area, not on the islands.
The company ships free inside the continental U.S.
He moved from an island to the continental part of the country.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think “continental United States” includes Alaska and Hawaii. In most everyday use, it means the 48 connected states on the mainland and excludes Alaska and Hawaii.
Meaning
relating to a country's mainland
Collocations
continental United States
|continental U.S.
|continental France
|continental Alaska (contrast: non-continental)
|continental mainland
Synonyms
mainland (More general and more common on its own; “continental” is mostly used in fixed phrases like “continental United States.”)
Antonyms
overseas (Refers to territories or regions separated by sea from the mainland.)
Themes
geography
|travel
|politics
|space
Definition
About the main land part of a country, not its islands or land far away.
Relating to the main continuous land area of a country, as opposed to its islands or overseas territories, especially in phrases like “continental United States.”
B1
4
Usage pattern:
continental [breakfast / buffet / breakfast menu]
The room rate includes a continental breakfast served from seven o’clock.
A szobaár tartalmazza a hét órától felszolgált kontinentális reggelit.
A basic continental buffet with coffee and croissants is available in the lobby.
Az előtérben egyszerű kontinentális reggelibüfé áll rendelkezésre kávéval és croissant-nal.
Guests can upgrade from a continental breakfast to a full English breakfast.
The hotel only offers a simple continental breakfast of pastries and juice.
I usually just have a continental breakfast when I travel for work.
Learner examples
Our hotel gives a free continental breakfast.
A szállodánk ingyenes kontinentális reggelit biztosít.
We had a continental breakfast of bread and coffee.
Kontinentális reggelit ettünk kenyérrel és kávéval.
A continental breakfast is small but quick.
She only wants a continental breakfast in the morning.
The sign says: “Continental breakfast from 6 to 10.”
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think “continental breakfast” just means “breakfast on the continent of Europe.” In hotels worldwide, it specifically means a light breakfast with bread or pastries and drinks, with no hot cooked food like eggs and bacon.
Meaning
describing a light European breakfast
Collocations
continental breakfast
|continental buffet
|simple continental breakfast
|continental breakfast menu
|continental breakfast included
Synonyms
light (breakfast) (Focuses on size, not specifically on European style or typical hotel usage.)
Antonyms
full (breakfast) (Refers to a large cooked breakfast, often with eggs, meat, and other hot items.)
Themes
food
|travel
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
Describes a light breakfast with bread or pastries and a drink, not a big cooked meal.
Describing a light, European-style breakfast that usually includes bread or pastries, butter, jam, and coffee or tea, but no cooked items like eggs or bacon.
NOUN
C1
5
Usage pattern:
[a] continental
To many continentals, British customs can seem rather strange.
Sok kontinentális európai számára a brit szokások meglehetősen furcsának tűnhetnek.
The café was full of continentals chatting in different languages.
A kávézó tele volt kontinentális európaiakkal, akik különböző nyelveken csevegtek.
She married a continental she met while travelling in Spain.
The tour group included both Britons and continentals.
Local shops now employ many young continentals during the summer season.
Learner examples
He is a continental who moved to London.
Ő egy kontinentális európai, aki Londonba költözött.
The hotel is popular with continentals in the summer.
A szálloda nyáron népszerű a kontinentális európaiak körében.
Many continentals visit this town every year.
She enjoys talking with continentals about culture.
The club has both British people and continentals.
Common mistake:
Learners often do not realize that this noun is somewhat old-fashioned and mainly used in British English. In most cases, “European” is more natural and common.
Meaning
person from mainland Europe
Collocations
a continental
|young continentals
|a group of continentals
|continentals and Britons
Synonyms
European (More common and neutral; “continental” often suggests a British speaker contrasting mainland Europeans with British people and can sound a little old-fashioned.)
Antonyms
Briton (Used as the contrasting term for someone from the UK rather than from mainland Europe.)
Themes
people
|culture
|geography
|travel
|relationships
Definition
A person who comes from mainland Europe, not from Britain or other islands.
A person from mainland Europe, especially as contrasted with someone from Britain or another nearby island.
C1
TECHNICAL
6
Usage pattern:
Continental [noun] (e.g., Army, Congress)
Delegates met in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress.
A küldöttek Philadelphiában gyűltek össze a Második Kontinentális Kongresszusra.
The Continental Army faced shortages of supplies throughout the war.
A Kontinentális Hadsereg a háború során végig ellátási hiányokkal küzdött.
Continental forces struggled at first but became more organized over time.
The value of Continental currency fell sharply during the conflict.
Many farmers served in the Continental militia units.
Learner examples
The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.
A Kontinentális Kongresszus Philadelphiában ülésezett.
George Washington led the Continental Army.
George Washington vezette a Kontinentális Hadsereget.
The Continental Army fought against the British.
People paid with Continental money during the war.
Many men joined the Continental forces.
Common mistake:
Learners may think “continental” here means “from a continent” in a general way. In American history, it is a fixed historical term for the united American colonies during the Revolution.
Meaning
relating to the American Revolution colonies
Collocations
Continental Congress
|Continental Army
|Continental currency
|Continental soldiers
|Continental forces
Synonyms
colonial (Broader and less specific; “continental” in this sense refers particularly to the unified colonies acting together during the Revolution.)
Antonyms
British (Refers to the opposing side, the government and forces of Great Britain during the American Revolution.)
Themes
history
|politics
|military
|education
Definition
About the thirteen American colonies during the American Revolution, especially in names like “Continental Congress.”
Relating to the thirteen American colonies as a group during the American Revolution, especially in formal names such as “Continental Congress” or “Continental Army.”
Grammar
Dictionary form
continental
IPA
GB/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl/
US/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl/
Syllables & stress
con - tin - ent - al (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ent)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: continental
Noun
- Base: continental
- Plural: continentals
Word family
Forms
continentals
noun
Core family
continent
noun A2
Advanced or less common
intercontinental
adjective
transcontinental
adjective
Expressions
Continental Army
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl ˈɑɹmi/
fixed phrase
technical
army of the American colonies
The main army of the thirteen American colonies that fought against Britain in the American Revolution.
Examples
- George Washington was the commander of the Continental Army.
- The Continental Army suffered from a lack of supplies.
- Many volunteers joined the Continental Army after the war began.
continental climate
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl klˈaɪmɪt/
fixed phrase
inland-type climate pattern
A kind of weather pattern in places far from the sea, with very hot or warm summers and very cold winters.
Examples
- The city has a continental climate with long, cold winters.
- Farmers in areas with a continental climate must prepare for frost in early spring.
- Scientists compared plant growth in maritime and continental climates.
Continental Congress
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl kˈɑŋɡɹəs/
fixed phrase
technical
assembly of American colonial delegates
A group of leaders from the thirteen American colonies who met and acted as a kind of government during the American Revolution.
Examples
- The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774.
- The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress.
- Delegates to the Continental Congress debated how to respond to British rule.
continental divide
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl dɪvˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
boundary separating river systems
A long high line of land on a continent where rivers on one side flow to one ocean and rivers on the other side flow to another ocean.
Examples
- They hiked along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.
- The river flows west after crossing the continental divide.
- Geographers mapped the main continental divide of North America.
continental drift
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl dɹˈɪft/
fixed phrase
technical
slow movement of continents
The very slow movement of the big land pieces of Earth (continents) over many millions of years.
Examples
- Scientists once laughed at the idea of continental drift.
- Continental drift explains why Africa and South America seem to fit together.
- The theory of plate tectonics expanded on the idea of continental drift.
continental Europe
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl jˈʊɹəp/
fixed phrase
mainland Europe, not islands
The part of Europe that is one big piece of land, not the islands like Britain or Ireland.
Examples
- Rail passes make travel around continental Europe relatively easy.
- Many people from continental Europe work in London.
- The product is popular in continental Europe but not well known in the UK.
continental philosophy
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl fəlˈɑsəfi/
fixed phrase
technical
European-style philosophical traditions
A style of philosophy that mainly comes from mainland Europe and is often contrasted with analytic philosophy from the English-speaking world.
Examples
- She is writing her thesis on twentieth-century continental philosophy.
- The department offers separate courses in analytic and continental philosophy.
- Continental philosophy often focuses on history, society, and human experience.
continental shelf
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl ʃˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
technical
underwater edge of a continent
The wide, shallow part of the sea floor next to a continent, before the water becomes very deep.
Examples
- Most offshore oil drilling takes place on the continental shelf.
- The country claims fishing rights over its entire continental shelf.
- Rich marine life is often found along the continental shelf.
continental United States
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl junˈaɪtɪd stˈeɪts/
fixed phrase
the 48 mainland U.S. states
The part of the United States that is one big land area, the 48 states between Canada and Mexico, not including Alaska or Hawaii.
Examples
- Shipping is free within the continental United States.
- They drove across the continental United States in a month.
- The storm affected much of the continental United States.
continental breakfast
1/kˌɑntənˈɛntəl bɹˈɛkfəst/
fixed phrase
light European-style breakfast
A small breakfast with bread or pastries and a drink like coffee or tea, usually served in hotels, with no cooked food like eggs or bacon.
Examples
- The hotel offers a free continental breakfast for guests.
- The hotel offers a free continental breakfast every morning.
- A continental breakfast usually includes coffee and croissants.
- We only had time for a quick continental breakfast before the meeting.
- Coffee, juice, and croissants were included in the continental breakfast.