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Origin and history of perpetual

perpetual(adj.)

mid-14c., perpetuel, "everlasting, unceasing, existing indefinitely, continuing forever in future time;" late 14c., "uninterrupted, continuous," from Old French perpetuel "without end" (12c.) and directly from Latin perpetualis "universal," in Medieval Latin "permanent," from perpetuus "continuous, universal," from perpetis, genitive of Old Latin perpes "lasting," probably from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + root of petere "to seek, go to, aim at" (from PIE root *pet- "to rush, to fly").

Related: Perpetually. Perpetual motion in reference to a hypothetical machine which, being set once in motion, will continue forever unless stopped by some external force" is attested from 1590s.

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to perpetual

perpetuate(v.)

"cause to endure or to continue indefinitely, preserve from extinction or oblivion," 1520s, a back-formation from perpetuation or else from Latin perpetuatus, past participle of perpetuare "to make perpetual," from perpetuus "continuous, universal" (see perpetual). Related: Perpetuated; Perpetuating.

perpetuation(n.)

"prolongation, permanent continuation; act of preserving through an endless existence," late 14c., perpetuacioun, from Medieval Latin perpetuationem (nominative perpetuatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin perpetuare "to make perpetual," from perpetuus "continuous, universal" (see perpetual).

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perpetuity
"quality or state of endless duration, continued uninterrupted existence for an indefinite period of time," late 14c., perpetuite, from Old French perpetuité "permanence, duration" (13c., Modern French perpétuité) and directly from Latin perpetuitatem (nominative perpetuitas) "un
constant
late 14c., "steadfast, resolute; patient, unshakable; fixed or firm in mind," from Old French constant (14c.) or directly from Latin constantem (nominative constans) "standing firm, stable, steadfast, faithful," present participle of constare "to stand together," from assimilated
incessant
mid-15c., from Old French *incessant or directly from Late Latin incessantem (nominative incessans) "unceasing," from Latin in- "not" (see in- (1)) + cessans, present participle of cessare "to cease, go slow, give over, leave off, be idle," frequentative of cedere (past participl
sempiternal
"eternal and unchanging, perpetual, everlasting, having no end," early 15c., from Old French sempiternel "eternal, everlasting..." (13c.) or directly from Medieval Latin sempiternalis, from Latin sempiternus "everlasting, perpetual, continual," from...
perdurable
(implied in perdurably), from Old French pardurable "eternal, everlasting, perpetual" (12c.) and directly from Medieval Latin...
oubliette
Used for persons condemned to perpetual imprisonment or to perish secretly....
Cimmerian
Homer described their land as a place of perpetual mist and darkness beyond the ocean, but whether he had in mind the same...
eternal
late 14c., from Old French eternel "eternal," or directly from Late Latin aeternalis, from Latin aeternus "of an age, lasting, enduring, permanent, everlasting, endless," contraction of aeviternus "of great age," from aevum "age" (from PIE root *aiw- "vital force, life; long life
avocado
edible, oily fruit of a tree common in the American tropics, 1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado "lawyer," from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) ahuakatl "avocado" (with a sec
kismet
"fate, destiny," 1834, from Turkish qismet, from Arabic qismah, qismat "portion, lot, fate," from root of qasama "he divided." From a nation of enthusiasts and conquerors, the Osmanlis became a nation of sleepers and smokers. They came into Europe with the sword in one hand and

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