continua
continua — noun
1. a range or series of things that changes smoothly from one end to the other, wit
a range or series of things that changes smoothly from one end to the other, without clear breaks or separate categories between the parts — for example, a colour spectrum from red to blue, or a political scale from left to right
Ravindra sees language as a continuum from formal to informal rather than two separate styles.
continuum from X to Y — mapping extremes of a range
The health-care continuum covers everything from routine checkups to emergency surgery.
Darius argued that poverty and wealth exist on a continuum, not as fixed categories.
Elena studied how mental health operates along a continuum from well-being to severe illness.
The two continua shown in the report connect temperature with pressure for different gases.
- spectrum
emphasises the two ends of a range; more common in everyday use
- range
more general term, does not necessarily imply smooth, gradation with no breaks
- progression
suggests movement in one direction along the scale
- sequence
focuses on order rather than gradual change between items
- discontinuity
a break or gap in the expected flow; the opposite of continuous change
- gap
a missing section that breaks the expected connection
文法句型
the + continuum
a + continuum + of + noun phrase
on/along + a/the + continuum
用法筆記
Usually appears in singular form (continuum). The Latin plural continua is used in academic writing; continuums is also accepted but less common. Common in linguistics, psychology, sociology, and medicine.