Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Continuity |
ContinuityNoun1. Uninterrupted connection or union. 2. A detailed script used in making a film in order to avoid discontinuities from shot to shot. 3. The property of a continuous and connected period of time. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "continuity" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1550. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Fine Arts | The complete contents, in typescript, of a radio or television program or a broadcast commercial. Source: European Union. (references) |
Mathematics | A)a parameter or a variate is said to be continuous when it may take values in a continuous range; b)a frequency or probability distribution is sometimes said to be continuous when it relates to a continuous variate, and sometimes when the function itself is continuous. Source: European Union. (references) |
Mining | The concept that where there is no change of state, seawater is incompressible and the liquid matter is neither created nor destroyed. If there is any vertical contraction in a volume of fluid, therefore, there must be a horizontal expansion, so that the original volume is maintained. This is accomplished by motion resulting in changes of the shape of theoriginal parcel of water. (references) |
Post & Telecom | Of a sequence of programmes or of the parts of a single programme:the orderly progression from one part to the next, according to a pre-arranged plan and to produce a desired effect. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
2. In film, continuity is consistency of the positions, colors, sizes, etc., of objects onscreen; continuity errors break the illusion of watching actual events. Care towards continuity must be taken because films are rarely, if ever, filmed in the order they are presented in: that is, a crew may film a scene from the end of a movie first, followed by one from the middle; the shooting schedule is sometimes dictated by weather, permitting issues, or other circumstances besides preference. Frequently film shoots will have a person dedicated exclusively to minding continuity.
One example of broken continuity occurs in the 1998 film Waking Ned Devine, when two of the characters are walking through a storm to Ned's house: the umbrella they are under is black during their conversation on the walk to the house (filmed from slightly above and to the front); yet after cutting to a lower shot from behind of Jackie approaching the house, Michael walks onscreen from the right holding an umbrella that is not black but beige, with a brown band at the rim.
Continuity also matters in other forms of art, such as novels and comics. If a character loses his jacket in one scene, yet he is still wearing it in a later scene without recovering it or getting another one, that is a break in continuity.
In a larger sense, continuity refers to consistent details of any fictional world, such as the names of characters' relatives.
Accidental or deliberate discrepancies in continuity are known as retconning, which stands for "retroactive continuity."
See also Krypto-Revisionism.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Continuity."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
| COCO | English | Coordination and continuity in primary care:the regional healthcare information network | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonym: ContinuitySynonym: persistence (n). (additional references) |
| Antonym: discontinuity (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Continuity | Noun: continuity; consecution, consecutiveness; Adjective: succession, round, suite, progression, series, train chain; catenation, concatenation; scale; gradation, course; ceaselessness, constant flow, unbroken extent. |
Discontinuity | Noun: discontinuity; disjunction; anacoluthon; interruption, break, fracture, flaw, fault, crack, cut; gap; (interval); solution of continuity, caesura; broken thread; parenthesis, episode, rhapsody, patchwork; intermission; alternation; (periodicity); dropping fire. |
Sequence | Adjective: succeeding;Verb: sequent; subsequent, consequent, sequacious, proximate, next; consecutive; (continuity); alternate, amoebean. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Continuity |
| English words defined with "continuity": break ♦ Catholic Church, Circular functions, confused, Continuities, Continuous impost ♦ disconnected, discontinuity, disjointed, disordered, disruption ♦ Fragmentariness ♦ gap, garbled ♦ illogical, In this connection, interruption, irregular ♦ on ♦ scattered, Solution of continuity ♦ temporary ♦ unconnected, uninterrupted. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "continuity": CONTINUITY DIRECTOR, continuity girl, continuity message ♦ editor, continuity and script. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | I live to safeguard the continuity of this society, to serve Libria. (Equilibrium; writing credit: Kurt Wimmer) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books | |||
Periodicals |
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Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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High Tech |
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Consumer Goods | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Temperature contours showing continuity of Mid-Atlantic Ridge From Atlas of the METEOR Expedition Combining sparse depth readings and temperature to infer bathymetry. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | The lighthouse as seen from the far end of the parade ground at Fort Jefferson. The configuration of the palm trees is testimony to the force and continuity of the trade winds in this area. Credit: America's Coastlines. |
 | The first map demonstrating the continuity of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge median rift valley as published in: "The Floors of the Oceans. I. The North Atlantic," by Bruce C. Heezen, Marie Tharp, and Maurice Ewing. 1959. Plate 20. NOAA Central Library Call No. G83. H43 1959. Vol. 1. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now. |  | In: "The Meteor Expedition," by F. Spiess, German Atlantic Expedition 1925-1927. Results of the METEOR expedition. This simple diagram, showing a cold pool on the west side of the Atlantic with different salinity, established the continuity of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a step on the road to formulating the theory of seafloor spreading. Library Call Number C/La S755. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now. |
 | Every new member ensures the continuity of Wizo. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | The liberation of women is a basic requirement for the revolution, the guarantee of its continuity and a precondition of its victory. Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Furthermore, a comprehensive approach that provides psychosocial support for the family as a whole and continuity of care for infants should be developed and followed. (references) | |
Lesions adherent to contiguous organs should be resected in continuity rather than dissected free. Adequate radial margins must be obtained to minimize local recurrence in rectal lesions. (references) | ||
Family caregivers at four recent forums sponsored by the California Caregiver Resource Centers, for example, consistently reported that what they wanted from LTC services was flexibility to meet individual and family needs, consumer choice, accessibility to affordable care, and assurances that there will be continuity of care. Other issues highlighted were caregiver support services, legal/financial concerns, and meeting the needs of an ethnically diverse caregiving population. (references) | ||
Business | The regulation provided for quality standards, the continuity of service, and a quota of "social numbers" (numbers for social assistance, usually toll-free), which may account for up to 6 percent of the total. (references) | |
In addition, the regulation provided for quality standards, the continuity and the regularity conditions, and a quota of "social numbers" (numbers for social assistance, usually toll-free), which may account for up to six percent of the total. (references) | ||
Other factors include availability of on-line services through the Internet; user-friendly access to data imported through electronic mail; unique user interface (Web Navigator) for all professionals; and utilization of a standard IP protocol that ensures the continuity of the system. (references) | ||
Civil Liberties | Lebanon | The group must ensure that the number of its adherents is sufficient to maintain its continuity. (references) |
Economic History | Tanzania | First, it enables firms to maintain continuity. (references) |
France | Presidential arbitration assures regular functioning of the public powers and the continuity of the state. (references) | |
Human Rights | United Kingdom | Other groups that the Government determined were not maintaining a total and unequivocal cease-fire were the Real IRA (RIRA), the Continuity IRA, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), the Red Hand Defenders, and the Orange Volunteers. (references) |
Political Economy | Bulgaria | He promised continuity in foreign policy, a significant improvement in living standards within 800 days, an economic package designed to attract foreign investment and stimulate growth, and zero tolerance for corruption. (references) |
Hungary | Although the leading candidate in the opposition party stated that there should be continuity in this important development plan, it is uncertain if all projects started by the current government would be continued if there were a change of government in the next election. (references) | |
Travel | Austria | Clarity and continuity in communications are very important. (references) |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | RESPITE, n. A suspension of hostilities against a sentenced assassin, to enable the Executive to determine whether the murder may not have been done by the prosecuting attorney. Any break in the continuity of a disagreeable expectation. Altgeld upon his incandescend bed Lay, an attendant demon at his head. "O cruel cook, pray grant me some relief -- Some respite from the roast, however brief." "Remember how on earth I pardoned all Your friends in Illinois when held in thrall." "Unhappy soul! for that alone you squirm O'er fire unquenched, a never-dying worm. "Yet, for I pity your uneasy state, Your doom I'll mollify and pains abate. "Naught, for a season, shall your comfort mar, Not even the memory of who you are." Throughout eternal space dread silence fell; Heaven trembled as Compassion entered Hell. "As long, sweet demon, let my respite be As, governing down here, I'd respite thee." "As long, poor soul, as any of the pack You thrust from jail consumed in getting back." A genial chill affected Altgeld's hide While they were turning him on t'other side. Joel Spate Woop |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963-1969 | I will propose laws to insure the necessary continuity of leadership should the President become disabled or die. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Continuity" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 99.76% of the time. "Continuity" is used about 1,230 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 99.76% | 1,227 | 6,355 |
| Noun (common) | 0.16% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Noun (proper) | 0.08% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 1,230 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "continuity": continuity girl ♦ continuity message ♦ Continuity of Patient Care ♦ continuity title ♦ continuity writer ♦ Law of continuity ♦ principle of continuity ♦ solution of continuity. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "continuity": dis-continuity, story-continuity. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "continuity"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | vijueshmëri, vazhdimësi (continuance, permanence, permanency, run), sekuencë (shot), koment ndërmjet. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | المتصلية, الدوام. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | сценарий (scenario, script), цялост (complex, entirety, fullness, fulness, integrality, oneness, plenitude, thoroughness, totality, whole, wholeness), текст на говорител, непрекъснатост (incessancy), монтаж (assembly, installation, montage, setting up), приемственост (succession), последователност (adherence, coherence, coherency, cohesion, consecution, consistency, order, run, sequence, succession), помощник-монтажист. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 间隙 (Continuities). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | souvislost (coherence, connection, context, link, linkage, relationship, thread), plynulost (fluency, fluidity), nepřetržitost, kontinuita. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | kontinuitetsanastomose, kontinuitet (pass), fortløbende programafvikling. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | continuïteit (availability). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | پیوستگی (Affinity, Bond, Coalition, Cohesion, Incorporation, Joinder, Juncture, Union, Unity, Zygosis), تسلسل (Concatenation, Continuum, Progression, Sequence, Suit, Track), اتصال (Coitus, Conjuncture, Connexion, Contact, Incorporation, Junction, Juncture, Linkage, Union), استمرار, دوام (Continuance, Durante, Life, Permanency, Perpetuity, Persistence, Strength, Substance). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | jatkuvuus (permanence). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | continuité (continuance). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Kontinuität (continuousness), Fortbestand (survival). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | συνέχεια (consecutively, consecutiveness, continuation, continuousness, sequel). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | משך (drawing, duration, length, prolongation, run, span, stretch, term), תמי"ות (assiduity, constancy, duration, permanence, perseverance, regularity, steadfastness), "משכיות, "משכות (continuation, persistence), "תמשכות (continuance, extending, prolongation), "תמ"" (constancy, diligence, endurance, permanence, perseverance, persistence, stamina), רציפות (succession), רצף (sequence, stretch, succession). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | folytonosság (continua, continuance, continuum, perpetuity), folyamatosság (continuance), tartósság (durability, fastness, impermanence, lasting, obstinacy, permanence, permanency, stand up, strength, tenacity), szövegkönyv (book of words, libretto, scenario, script, textbook), forgatókönyv (scenario, screenplay, screen-play, script, shooting script), filmvágó (cutter), összevágó, állandósság. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | kontinuitas, kelancaran (fluency, smoothness). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | continuit (incessancy, perpetuity). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 連続 (consecutive, continuing, occurring in succession, serial), コンソル公債 (combine, concertina, concerto, conductor, consolidated annuities, consols, contact, contact lens, container, container bag, containerization, contest, context, continental, continental breakfast, continental look, continental plan, continental style, continental tango, continuation, group of companies). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | れ"ぞく (consecutive, continuing, occurring in succession, serial), コンティニュイティー , コンテ . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 계속성 (Continuities). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | sheerid (constancy, deathlessness, duration, endlessness, immortality, permanence), kinjaght (certitude, defineness, invariability). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ontinuitycay continuidade (abidance, permanence, permanency). (various references) continuitate, scenariu (photoplay, scenario, script), permanenţã (permanence, permanency). (various references) непрерывность (regularity). (various references) neprekidnost, naizmenično smenjivanje. (various references) continuidad (abidance). (various references) kontinuitet. (various references) senaryo (book, playbook, scenario, screenplay, script), süreklilik (duration, endurance, invariability, lastingness, permanence, permanency, perpetuity, persistence), program metni, mantıksal bağ, kolay anlaşılan şey, devamlılık (durability, endlessness, lastingness, permanence, permanency, persistence, progression, regularity), akıcılık (flow, fluency, fluidity, glibness, liquidity, smoothness, volubility). (various references) сценарій (photoplay, scenario, screenplay), нарозривність, безперервність (straightness), послідовність (chain, coherence, consistency, graduality, order, progression, sequence, succession). (various references) tính liên tục kịch bản điện ảnh, sự liên tiếp (consecutiveness, sequence), sự liên tục (consecutiveness). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | contextum. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words ending with "continuity": discontinuity. (additional references) | |
| |
"Continuity" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: caninity, contignity, continutity, contiquity. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "continuity" (pronounced kÄ'ntunuw"utē) |
| 10 | k Ä' n t u n uw" u t ē | discontinuity. |
| 6 | -u n uw" u t ē | annuity, ingenuity. |
| 4 | -uw" u t ē | acuity, ambiguity, congruity, gratuity, incongruity, perpetuity, promiscuity. |
| 3 | -u t ē | ability, abnormality, absurdity, acceptability, accessibility, accountability, acidity, activity, actuality, adaptability, admissibility, adversity, advisability, affinity, affordability, aggressivity, agility, alacrity, alkalinity, amenity, amiability, amity, analyticity, animosity, anonymity, antiquity, anxiety, applicability, atrocity, audacity, austerity, authenticity, authority, availability, banality, barbarity, believability, bestiality, biodiversity, bisexuality, brevity, brutality, calamity, capability, capacity, captivity, causality, cavity, celebrity, centrality, charity, chastity, civility, clarity, collegiality, commodity, commonality, community, comparability, compatibility, complexity, complicity, comprehensibility, conditionality, conductivity, confidentiality, conformity, congeniality, connectivity, constitutionality, convertibility, creativity, credibility, credulity, criminality, criticality, crotchety, culpability, curiosity, cyclicality, debility, deductibility, deformity, deity, deniability, density, dependability, depravity, deputy, desirability, dexterity, dignity, dimensionality, disability, disparity, dissimilarity, disunity, diversity, divinity, docility, domesticity, duality, ductility, duplicity, durability, eccentricity, elasticity, electability, electricity, eligibility, enforceability, enmity, enormity, entity, equality, equanimity, equity, eternity, ethnicity, eventuality, exclusivity, expressivity, extraterritoriality, extremity, facility, fallibility, falsity, familiarity, fatality, feasibility, Felicity, femininity, ferocity, fertility, festivity, fidelity, finality, flammability, flexibility, fluidity, formality, fragility, fraternity, frivolity, frugality, functionality, futility, generality, generosity, geniality, gentility, gravity, gullibility, heredity, heterogeneity, heterosexuality, hilarity, homogeneity, homosexuality, hospitality, hostility, humanity, humidity, humility, hyperactivity, hypersensitivity, identity, illegality, illiquidity, immaturity, immobility, immorality, immortality, immunity, impartiality, impersonality, impossibility, impropriety, impunity, impurity, inability, inaccessibility, inactivity, incapacity, incivility, incompatibility, incredulity, indemnity, indestructibility, indignity, individuality, inequality, inequity, inevitability, infallibility, inferiority, infertility, infidelity, infinity, infirmity, inflexibility, informality, inhumanity, insanity, insecurity, insensitivity, instability, instrumentality, insularity, integrity, intensity, invincibility, invisibility, invulnerability, irrationality, irregularity, irresponsibility, irritability, laity, laxity, legality, legibility, lethality, levity, liability, liberality, liquidity, lividity, locality, longevity, majority, malleability, maneuverability, marketability, masculinity, materiality, maternity, maturity, mediocrity, mendacity, mentality, minority, miscibility, mobility, modality, modernity, monstrosity, morality, morbidity, mortality, motility, multiplicity, municipality, musicality, mutuality, nationality, nativity, necessity, negativity, neutrality, nobility, Nonconformity, nonentity, nonutility, normality, notoriety, nudity, obesity, objectivity, obscenity, obscurity, oddity, opacity, opportunity, originality, overcapacity, oversensitivity, palatability, parity, partiality, particularity, passivity, paternity, paucity, peculiarity, permeability, perplexity, personality, perversity, piety, plausibility, plurality, polarity, polity, pomposity, popularity, portability, possibility, posterity, practicality, predictability, principality, priority, probability, probity, proclivity, productivity, profanity, profitability, progressivity, propensity, proportionality, propriety, prosperity, proximity, publicity, punctuality, purity, quality, quantity, radioactivity, rapidity, rarity, rationality, reactivity, readability, reality, receptivity, reciprocity, reflexivity, regularity, relativity, reliability, religiosity, respectability, responsibility, retroactivity, rickety, rigidity, salinity, sanctity, sanity, scarcity, seasonality, security, selectivity, senility, seniority, sensibility, sensitivity, sensuality, sentimentality, serendipity, serenity, severity, sexuality, similarity, simplicity, sincerity, sobriety, society, solemnity, solidarity, solidity, sorority, speciality, specificity, spirituality, spontaneity, stability, sterility, stupidity, subjectivity, suitability, superconductivity, superfluidity, superiority, supermajority, surety, survivability, susceptibility, sustainability, technicality, temerity, tenacity, theatricality, timidity, tonality, totality, toxicity, tranquility, transferability, Trinity, triviality, turbidity, ubiquity, unanimity, unavailability, unfamiliarity, uniformity, unity, universality, university, unpopularity, unpredictability, unreality, unreliability, uppity, utility, validity, vanity, variability, variety, varsity, velocity, velvety, venality, veracity, Verity, versatility, viability, vicinity, virginity, virility, virtuosity, viscosity, visibility, vitality, volatility, voracity, vulgarity, vulnerability. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-i-i-n-n-o-t-t-u-y" | |
-2 letters: tonicity. | |
-3 letters: nicotin, tuition, unction. | |
-4 letters: county, incony, intuit, nuncio, otitic, uncini. | |
-5 letters: conin, count, cutin, cutty, cyton, inion, ionic, niton, nitty, nutty, ontic, tinct, tinny, tonic, tunic, tunny, uncoy, union, unity, yonic. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-i-i-n-n-o-t-t-u-y" | |
+3 letters: discontinuity, functionality. | |
+4 letters: intercommunity. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Non-fiction 8. Quotations: Speeches | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Expressions 11. Expressions: Internet 12. Translations: Modern | 13. Translations: Ancient 14. Abbreviations 15. Acronyms 16. Derivations | 17. Rhymes 18. Anagrams 19. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
