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Continent vs Region - What's the difference?

continent | region |

In obsolete terms the difference between continent and region

is that continent is the Old World while region is the space from the earth's surface out to the orbit of the moon: properly called the elemental region.

As an adjective continent

is exercising self-restraint; controlled, temperate with respect to one's bodily needs or passions, especially sex.

As a proper noun Continent

is the Old World.

continent

English

(wikipedia 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

    region

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia region) (en noun)
  • Any considerable and connected part of a space or surface; specifically, a tract of land or sea of considerable but indefinite extent; a country; a district; in a broad sense, a place without special reference to location or extent but viewed as an entity for geographical, social or cultural reasons.
    • the equatorial regions
    the temperate regions
    the polar regions
    the upper regions of the atmosphere
  • An administrative subdivision of a city, a territory, a country or the European Union.
  • (historical) Such a division of the city of Rome and of the territory about Rome, of which the number varied at different times; a district, quarter, or ward.
  • (figuratively) The inhabitants of a region or district of a country.
  • (anatomy) A place in or a part of the body in any way indicated.
    • the abdominal regions
  • (obsolete) Place; rank; station; dignity.
  • (obsolete) The space from the earth's surface out to the orbit of the moon: properly called the elemental region.

    • Related terms

    * regional * regionally * regionarius * regionary * regionic * radiate * radiation

    References

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    Anagrams

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