perpetual

views updated May 23 2018

per·pet·u·al / pərˈpechoōəl/ • adj. 1. never ending or changing: deep caves in perpetual darkness. ∎  denoting a position, job, or trophy held for life rather than a limited period, or the person holding it: a perpetual secretary of the society. ∎  (of an investment) having no fixed maturity date; irredeemable: a perpetual bond.2. occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to seem endless and uninterrupted: their perpetual money worries. ∎  (of a plant) blooming or fruiting several times in one season: he grows perpetual carnations.• n. a perpetual plant, esp. a hybrid rose.DERIVATIVES: per·pet·u·al·ly adv.

perpetual

views updated Jun 11 2018

perpetual XIV (-el). — (O)F. perpetuel — L. perpetuālis, f. perpetuus, f. perpes, perpet- continuous, uninterrupted, f. PER- + petere be directed towards; assim. to L. form XVI; see -AL1.
So perpetuate (-ATE3) XVI. f. pp. stem of L. perpetuāre. perpetuation XIV. — medL. perpetuity XV. — (O)F. — L.

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