perpetual
per-PET-choo-uhl
/pəˈpetʃuəl/
Never ending or changing; occurring repeatedly so as to seem endless.
Can mean 'eternal' (like a perpetual flame) or 'constantly repeated' (like a perpetual liar). It has a grander, more permanent feel than 'continual'.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'perpetuus', meaning 'continuous' or 'universal'. The 'per-' prefix means 'through', suggesting something that goes all the way through time.
Word relationships
- eternal: Eternal implies existing outside of time; perpetual implies continuing through time.
- everlasting: Everlasting is more poetic; perpetual is more formal/scientific.
- temporary: Temporary means lasting only for a short time.
- transient: Transient implies passing through quickly.
Commonly confused with
- continual: Continual is about frequency; perpetual is about duration and permanence.
Word family
- perpetuate (verb): To make something continue indefinitely.
- perpetuity (noun): The state of being perpetual.
Collocations
- perpetual motion
- perpetual flame
- perpetual student
Example sentences
- "The mountain peaks are covered in perpetual snow, even in the height of summer." Describing an eternal state.
- "He lived in a state of perpetual motion, never sitting still for more than a minute." Describing a personality trait.
Memory hook
Perpetual sounds like 'Per-Pet'. A pet is for life—it's perpetual. An eternal flame.
When not to use
Don't use for short-term events. A 20-minute rain is not perpetual.
Fun facts
- A 'perpetual motion machine' is a hypothetical machine that can work indefinitely without an energy source—physicists say it's impossible.
Related words
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