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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary con·stant
ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin constant-, constans, from present participle of constare to stand firm, be consistent, from com- + stare to stand — more at stand DATE 14th century 1. marked by firm steadfast resolution or faithfulness : exhibiting constancy of mind or attachment a constant friend 2. invariable , uniform a constant flow 3. continually occurring or recurring : regular a constant annoyance Synonyms: see faithful , continual • con·stant·ly adverb
noun DATE 1832 : something invariable or unchanging: as a. a number that has a fixed value in a given situation or universally or that is characteristic of some substance or instrument b. a number that is assumed not to change value in a given mathematical discussion c. a term in logic with a fixed designation English Etymology constant late 14c., "steadfast, resolute," from L. constantem (nom.constans) "standing firm, stable, steadfast," prp. of constare, from com- "together" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Of actions and conditions from 1653. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ constant con·stant / 5kCnstEnt; NAmE 5kB:n- / adjective1. [usually before noun] happening all the time or repeatedly 连续发生的；不断的；重复的: constant interruptions 无休止的干扰 a constant stream of visitors all day 整天络绎不绝的游客 Babies need constant attention. 婴儿一刻也离不开人。 This entrance is in constant use. 此入口经常使用。 2. that does not change SYN fixed
不变的；固定的；恒定的: travelling at a constant speed of 50 m.p.h. 以每小时 50 英里的恒定速度行驶 noun (technical 术语) a number or quantity that does not vary 常数；常量 OPP variable Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English constant adj. VERBS be | remain, stay The level of unemployment remains fairly constant at around 10%. | hold sth (technical), keep sth All variables except one must be held constant. The temperature must be kept constant. ADV. remarkably | absolutely | almost, nearly, virtually | fairly, reasonably, relatively | more or less, roughly PREP. across These figures were virtually constant across the 1991 and 2001 censuses. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition n. Function: adjective 1 Synonyms: FAITHFUL 1, allegiant, ardent, ||dinky-di, fast, liege, loyal, staunch, steadfast, true Related Words: abiding, clinging, enduring, lasting, persistent, persisting Contrasted Words: capricious, mercurial Antonyms: fickle, inconstant 2 Synonyms: INFLEXIBLE 3, fixed, immovable, immutable, inalterable, invariable, unalterable, unchangeable, unmodifiable, unmovable Contrasted Words: fluctuant, fluctuating, fluctuational, unstable Antonyms: inconstant, variable 3 Synonyms: SAME 3, consistent, invariable, unchanging, unfailing, unvarying 4 Synonyms: STEADY 2, equable, even, stabile, stable, unchanging, unfluctuating, uniform, unvarying 5 Synonyms: CONTINUAL , ceaseless, continuous, endless, everlasting, interminable, perpetual, unceasing, unending, unremitting Related Words: chronic, confirmed, inveterate; dogged, obstinate, pertinacious; persevering Contrasted Words: alternate, intermittent, recurrent; infrequent, occasional, sporadic Antonyms: fitful Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged con·stant I. \ˈkänztənt, -n(t)st-\ adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin constant-, constans, present participle of constare to stand firm, be consistent, from com- + stare to stand — more at stand 1. : marked by firmness, steadfastness, resolution, or faithfulness :not weak, yielding, vacillating, or disloyal < a man constant in adherence to his ideals > < a constant friend > 2. : fixed and invariable < the content of constitutional immunities is not constant but varies from age to age — B.N.Cardozo > : remaining unchanged : steady , uniform < a constant-flow calorimeter > 3. : marked by continual recurring or by regular occurrence, operation, or manifestation < their aims and their methods have been subject to constantscrutiny, not only by professionals, but also by parents and citizens — J.B.Conant > < the children running in and out of the house were a constantannoyance > 4. obsolete : firm and steady : immovable , solid 5. obsolete : confident in opinion : positive , certain Synonyms: see continual , faithful , steady II. noun (-s) 1. : something that does not vary or change in its relationship or in an essential relationship with other things < the one constant in all this is that each page is indelibly marked with personality — E.A.Weeks > < the environment should be the constant; the individual, the variable — W.H.Whyte > as a. : an abstract number or a physically dimensional quantity having a fixed or approximately fixed value (as in a situation or throughout the operation concerned) and being sometimes universal and permanent (as the circular ratio π or the constant of gravitation) or sometimes characteristic of some substance or instrument (as the refractive index of an optical glass or the sensitivity of a galvanometer) b. : a magnitude in mathematics that is assumed not to change its value in a certain discussion, process, or stage of investigation — opposed to variable c. : a term in logic with an invariant denotation : a symbol with fixed designation (as a connective, quantifier, or parenthesis) — contrasted with variable d. : a kind of plant or animal (as a species or variety) that is regularly present in a particular ecological community (as an association) 2. : a secondary-school subject considered of such basic importance that it is required of all pupils |
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