continental
relating to mainland Europe
About mainland Europe, not the islands like Britain or Ireland.
continental [noun]
- Many British tourists spend the summer on continental beaches.
- She prefers continental fashion to traditional British styles.
- 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.
- We took a trip across continental Europe by train.
- He likes continental food such as pasta and tapas.
- 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.
describing an inland-type climate
Describes weather in places far from the sea, with very hot summers and very cold winters.
continental [climate / weather / conditions]
- Winnipeg has a distinctly continental climate with very cold winters.
- The region’s continental weather makes heating costs high in winter.
- 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.
- The city has a continental climate with hot summers.
- In a continental climate, winter is very cold.
- 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.
relating to a country's mainland
About the main land part of a country, not its islands or land far away.
continental [country name / region]
- They drove across the continental United States in three weeks.
- Most of the population lives in the continental part of the country.
- 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.
- We visited many states in the continental United States.
- This ticket is only for travel in the continental U.S.
- 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.
describing a light European breakfast
Describes a light breakfast with bread or pastries and a drink, not a big cooked meal.
continental [breakfast / buffet / breakfast menu]
- The room rate includes a continental breakfast served from seven o’clock.
- A basic continental buffet with coffee and croissants is available in the lobby.
- 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.
- Our hotel gives a free continental breakfast.
- We had a continental breakfast of bread and coffee.
- 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.”
person from mainland Europe
A person who comes from mainland Europe, not from Britain or other islands.
[a] continental
- To many continentals, British customs can seem rather strange.
- The café was full of continentals chatting in different languages.
- 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.
- He is a continental who moved to London.
- The hotel is popular with continentals in the summer.
- Many continentals visit this town every year.
- She enjoys talking with continentals about culture.
- The club has both British people and continentals.
relating to the American Revolution colonies
About the thirteen American colonies during the American Revolution, especially in names like “Continental Congress.”
Continental [noun] (e.g., Army, Congress)
- Delegates met in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress.
- The Continental Army faced shortages of supplies throughout the war.
- 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.
- The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.
- George Washington led the Continental Army.
- The Continental Army fought against the British.
- People paid with Continental money during the war.
- Many men joined the Continental forces.
- Base: continental
- Base: continental
- Plural: continentals
Continental Army
1army of the American colonies
The main army of the thirteen American colonies that fought against Britain in the American Revolution.
- 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
1inland-type climate pattern
A kind of weather pattern in places far from the sea, with very hot or warm summers and very cold winters.
- 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
1assembly 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.
- 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
1boundary 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.
- 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
1slow movement of continents
The very slow movement of the big land pieces of Earth (continents) over many millions of years.
- 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
1mainland Europe, not islands
The part of Europe that is one big piece of land, not the islands like Britain or Ireland.
- 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
1European-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.
- 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
1underwater edge of a continent
The wide, shallow part of the sea floor next to a continent, before the water becomes very deep.
- 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
1the 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.
- 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
1light 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.
- 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.