/kon"tn euhnt/ , n.
1. one of the main landmasses of the globe, usually reckoned as seven in number (Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica).
2. a comparable landmass on another planet.
3. the mainland, as distinguished from islands or peninsulas.
4. the Continent , the mainland of Europe, as distinguished from the British Isles.
5. a continuous tract or extent, as of land.
6. Archaic. something that serves as a container or boundary.
adj.
7. exercising or characterized by restraint in relation to the desires or passions and esp. to sexual desires; temperate.
8. able to control urinary and fecal discharge.
9. Obs. containing; being a container; capacious.
10. Obs. restraining or restrictive.
11. Obs. continuous; forming an uninterrupted tract, as land.
[ 1350-1400; ME continent- (s. of continens, prp. of continere to CONTAIN), equiv. to con- CON- + -tin-, comb. form of ten- hold + -ent- -ENT ]