constancy
/ˈkɒnstənsi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɑːnstənsi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkän(t)-stən(t)-sē/ (ame, mw)
constancy — noun
1. the fact that something stays at the same level or in the same condition over ti
the fact that something stays at the same level or in the same condition over time, without going up or down or shifting.
The constancy of the desert temperature surprised Darius during his week of fieldwork.
constancy of + noun (a measurable property)
Farmers in the valley rely on the constancy of the spring water through the dry months.
subject of 'rely on' — talking about a dependable level
Yael admired the constancy of her grandfather's daily walk to the bakery.
Engineers test the constancy of the signal before sending any data through the cable.
There is a strange comfort in the constancy of the tide along this stretch of coast.
- steadiness
more everyday; often about pace or hand movement
- stability
wider scope — covers economic, political, or structural systems too
- uniformity
stresses sameness across space, not only across time
- variability
scientific register — opposite when describing measurements
- fluctuation
implies repeated small ups and downs
文法句型
constancy of + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a measurable or observable property (temperature, supply, rhythm, signal). Distinguish from sense 2, which is about a person's loyal feelings, not a level that stays the same.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of staying loyal to a person, a promise, or a cause, especially when
the quality of staying loyal to a person, a promise, or a cause, especially when it would be easier to give up or change sides.
Ravindra was moved by the constancy of his old teacher, who wrote to him every month for years.
constancy of + person (about their loyalty)
The novel celebrates the constancy of a wife waiting twenty years for her husband to return from war.
Christopher questioned his own constancy after meeting someone new at the conference in Lisbon.
Members of the order swore constancy to their vows of silence and poverty.
Élise valued the constancy of her two oldest friends above any new social connection.
- loyalty
the everyday word; 'constancy' is the literary register
- fidelity
narrower — often implies sexual or marital faithfulness
- devotion
stresses active emotional commitment rather than just not changing
- steadfastness
stresses staying firm under pressure or temptation
- fickleness
changing one's mind or affections often
- betrayal
active opposite — breaking faith, not just drifting away
文法句型
constancy of + person
constancy to + person/cause
用法筆記
Often appears in literary, ethical, or religious contexts — rare in everyday speech, where 'loyalty' or 'being faithful' is more natural. Distinguish from sense 1 by the subject: a person or relationship, not a measurable property.