What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Continent vs Content - What's the difference?

continent | content |

In obsolete terms the difference between continent and content

is that continent is the Old World while content is acquiescence without examination.

As a proper noun Continent

is the Old World.

As a verb content is

to give contentment or satisfaction; to satisfy; to gratify; to appease.

continent

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) Land (as opposed to the water).
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.v:
  • The carkas with the streame was carried downe, / But th'head fell backeward on the continent .
  • A large contiguous landmass considered independent of its islands, peninsulas etc. Specifically, the Old World continent of Europe–Asia–Africa. See the Continent.
  • Each of the main continuous land-masses on the earth's surface, now generally regarded as seven in number, including their related islands, continental shelves etc.
  • Derived terms
    * the Continent * continental * supercontinent
    See also
    *
    Hyponyms
    * Africa * America * Antarctica * Asia * Australia * Europe * Eurasia * Gondwana * Laurasia * North America * Oceania * Pangaea * South America

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) continent, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Exercising self-restraint; controlled, temperate with respect to one's bodily needs or passions, especially sex.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower.
  • * 2009 , (Diarmaid MacCulloch), A History of Christianity , Penguin 2010, p. 119:
  • A celibate himself, he was of the opinion that marriage was something of a concession to human frailty, to save from fornication those who could not be continent , so it was better to marry than to burn with lust.
  • Not interrupted; connected; continuous.
  • a continent fever
  • * Berrewood
  • The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disjoined by sea of all that coast.
  • (obsolete) Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing.
  • (Shakespeare)
    Antonyms
    * incontinent

    content

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) ; see contain.

    Noun

  • (uncountable) That which is contained.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author=(Oliver Burkeman)
  • , volume=189, issue=2, page=27, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= The tao of tech , passage=The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about "creating compelling content ", or
  • Subject matter; substance.
  • * Grew
  • I shall prove these writingsauthentic, and the contents true, and worthy of a divine original.
  • The amount of material contained; contents.
  • Capacity for holding.
  • * (Francis Bacon)
  • Strong ships, of great content .
  • (mathematics) The n''-dimensional space contained by an ''n''-dimensional polytope (called ''volume'' in the case of a polyhedron and ''area in the case of a polygon).
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) content, from (etyl) ; see contain.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Satisfied; in a state of satisfaction.
  • *
  • *:This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
  • Derived terms
    * contentment
    Synonyms
    * (satisfied) contented, pleased, satisfied

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) , from (contenter); see content as a verb.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Satisfaction; contentment
  • They were in a state of sleepy content after supper.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Such is the fullness of my heart's content .
  • (obsolete) acquiescence without examination
  • * Alexander Pope
  • The sense they humbly take upon content .
  • That which contents or satisfies; that which if attained would make one happy.
  • * Shakespeare
  • So will I in England work your grace's full content .
  • (UK, House of Lords) An expression of assent to a bill or motion; an affirmate vote.
  • (UK, House of Lords) A member who votes in assent.
  • Derived terms
    * discontent * malcontent

    Etymology 4

    From (etyl) contenter, from ; see content as an adjective.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To give contentment or satisfaction; to satisfy; to gratify; to appease.
  • You can't have any more - you'll have to content yourself with what you already have.
  • * Bible, Mark xv. 15
  • Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them.
  • * I. Watts
  • Do not content yourselves with obscure and confused ideas, where clearer are to be attained.
  • (obsolete) To satisfy the expectations of; to pay; to requite.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you.