I. ə̇ˈtərn ə l, ēˈ-, -tə̄n-, -təin- adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French eternal, eternel, from Late Latin aeternalis, from Latin aeternus (alteration of aeviternus, probably from aevitas age, lifetime of something, from the stem of aevum age, eternity + -itas -ity) + -alis -al — more at aye
1.
a. : having infinite duration:
(1) : infinite in past and future duration : having no beginning or end
the eternal God is your dwelling place — Deut 33:27 (Revised Standard Version)
(2) : infinite in past duration : having no beginning
(3) : infinite in future duration : having no end
the soldiers were convinced that whatever happened, the end of the war would mark the opening of an era of eternal peace — R. de R. de Sales
b. : having infinite duration and characterized by abiding fellowship with God
good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? — Mk 10:17 (Revised Standard Version)
c. : of or relating to eternity
this eternal blazon must not be to ears of flesh and blood — Shakespeare
2.
a. : continued without intermission : ceaseless , unchanging
and fires eternal in thy temple shine — John Dryden
b. : seemingly endless often to the point of weariness or disgust : constantly recurring : interminable
there was also the eternal waiting in hotels for appointments with officials — Herbert Hoover
3. archaic : infernal , damned — used as an intensive
some eternal villain … devised this slander — Shakespeare
4. : valid or existing at all times : immutable , unchangeable
right and wrong were eternal verities … which could not be changed and must not be tampered with — O.E.Rölvaag
5. : outside or beyond temporal relationships : discrete from all times : timeless
a color is eternal — A.N.Whitehead
II. noun
( -s )
1. capitalized : god II — used with preceding the
the great issue remains man's relationship to the Eternal — Ruth Suckow
2. obsolete : eternity
3. : something that is eternal
the superiority of the spiritual and eternal over the carnal and temporal — H.O.Taylor
— often used in plural
men so truly spiritual in the eternals of their creed — Thomas De Quincey
III. adverb
obsolete : forever