noun
continuum
kun-TIN-yoo-um/kənˈtɪnjuəm/
A continuous range with gradual differences and no sharp divisions.
The colors form a continuum, blending gradually from blue through violet to red.
Etymology
The underlying image is of things holding or hanging together without interruption. A continuum is therefore a range whose neighboring elements connect continuously, rather than falling into clearly separated groups.
In context
Our mental health operates on a continuum, a sliding scale oscillating from low to extreme stress
More examples
- Pain exists on a continuum, from mild discomfort to agony.
- These dialects form a continuum across the region.
- The study treats trust as a continuum rather than a yes-or-no choice.
Forms
continuum · continua · continuums
continuous adjective — Extending without gaps or sudden breaks.