Constant

How to spell constant

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce constant

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does constant mean?

1. adjectiveHappening continuously or remaining the same over time; unchanging.
2. nounA quantity or value that does not change.

Constant in a sentence

• adjective

  The engine ran at a constant speed for the whole journey.

• noun

  In the equation the gravitational constant never varies.

• adjective

  Living near the airport means putting up with constant noise.

• noun

  The experiment kept temperature as the one constant in the test.

Where does constant come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word comes from the Latin constantem, the present participle of constare, which literally meant 'to stand firm' or 'to stand together', built from the prefix con- ('together' or used as an intensifier) and stare ('to stand'). The image at the heart of the word is something so steady that it stands its ground and refuses to move or change. English took it through Old French as constant during the late 1300s, at first describing people who were steadfast and loyal, and only later widening to mean anything unchanging or continuous. The same stare root gives English a large family of relatives, including 'stable', 'status', 'stationary' and 'circumstance', all of which carry that sense of standing. In mathematics and science the noun developed to name a value that never varies, a fitting use given the word's literal meaning.

How the word is built

• con- (together, intensive)
• sta (stand, from Latin stare)
• -nt (adjective/noun suffix)