Constantly

How to spell constantly

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce constantly

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does constantly mean?

1. adverbIn a way that happens all the time or without interruption.

Constantly in a sentence

• The office phone rings constantly throughout the morning.

• He is constantly checking his email instead of finishing the report.

Where does constantly come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb stare, meaning 'to stand', from which the present participle stans (genitive stantis) gave the adjective constans, literally 'standing firm' or 'steadfast'. The prefix con- here works as an intensifier, so constans suggested something that stood together unwaveringly, hence 'firm, steady, unchanging'. English borrowed the adjective 'constant' through Old French in the 1300s, originally describing loyalty and faithfulness rather than mere repetition. The adverb form arose by adding the native English suffix -ly, and over time the sense shifted from 'steadfastly' toward 'continually, without pause'. The same stare root stands inside many relatives such as 'stable', 'stance', and 'circumstance', and remembering that buried 'stant' (stand) helps fix the middle of the spelling.

How the word is built

• con- (together, intensive)
• stant (from stare: to stand)
• -ly (adverb suffix)