continental-style
|con-ti-nen-tal-style|
🇺🇸
/ˌkɑn.təˈnɛn.təl staɪl/
🇬🇧
/ˌkɒn.tɪˈnɛn.t(ə)l staɪl/
in the manner of mainland Europe
Etymology
'continental-style' is a compound formed in English from 'continental' + 'style'. 'continental' originates from Latin via French; Latin 'continēns' (present participle of 'continēre') meant 'holding together' and later came to denote 'of the continent'. 'style' originates from Latin 'stilus' via Old French 'estile', meaning 'manner' or 'mode'.
'continental' developed from Latin 'continēre' → Medieval/Old French forms and Middle English 'continent' → adjective 'continental'; 'style' passed from Latin 'stilus' through Old French 'estile' to English 'style'. The compound 'continental-style' arose in modern English to describe things done in the manner of the European continent (e.g., 'continental breakfast').
Initially related to the Latin sense of 'holding together' in 'continēre', 'continental' shifted to mean 'relating to a continent' and specifically 'relating to mainland Europe'; combined with 'style', the compound now means 'in the manner typical of mainland Europe'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
of or relating to the continent (especially mainland Europe); in the manner or fashion typical of continental Europe.
She preferred continental-style dress and avoided the more traditional British tailoring.
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Adjective 2
describing a light, simple form typical of mainland Europe, as in food or service (e.g., continental-style breakfast: bread, coffee, and fruit rather than a cooked meal).
The hotel offered a continental-style breakfast with croissants, jam, and coffee.
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Last updated: 2026/01/11 19:22