continu

\kɔ̃.ti.ny\

/\kɔ̃.ti.ny\/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“continu” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #5,330 in French word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,330
frequency rank, French
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Dont les parties ne sont pas séparées les unes des autres et tiennent les unes aux autres.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

continu vs convenu
71% similar
continu vs continue
88% similar
continu vs continua
88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for continu
PropertyValue
Headwordcontinu
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\kɔ̃.ti.ny\
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,330
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “continu” sits in French frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). continu lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for continu is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \kɔ̃.ti.ny\. Corpus data places it at rank #5,330 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for continu, with forms such as "ccontinu", "cnotinu", and "conitnu". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "convenu", "continue", "continua", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is continu, spelled C-O-N-T-I-N-U.

Definition

  1. 1
    Dont les parties ne sont pas séparées les unes des autres et tiennent les unes aux autres.
  2. 2
    Qui est d’une durée sans aucune interruption.
  3. 3
    Qualifie le soubassement d’une file de colonnes avec base et corniche.
  4. 4
    Proportion continue : qualifie une proportion où le conséquent de la première raison est l’antécédent de la seconde.
  5. 5
    Qualifie une fraction dont le dénominateur est composé d’un nombre entier et d’une autre fraction, qui a également pour dénominateur un entier et une fraction, et ainsi de suite.
  6. 6
    Qualifie une fonction ou une application dont la variation est très petite, quand la variable varie très peu.

Antonyms

discretdiscontinu

This word in other languages

continual(English)continuo(Español)kontinuierlich(Deutsch)contínuo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontinu,cnotinu,conitnu,conntinu,continnu,contiun,contniu,conttinu,cotninu,ocntinu

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of continu - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccontinu1cnotinu2conitnu2conntinu1continnu1contiun2contniu2conttinu1
Edit distance from "continu"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 French corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "continu"?
"continu" is spelled C-O-N-T-I-N-U. The IPA pronunciation is \kɔ̃.ti.ny\.
What does "continu" mean?
As an adjective, "continu" means: Dont les parties ne sont pas séparées les unes des autres et tiennent les unes aux autres.
What words are commonly confused with "continu"?
"continu" is commonly confused with "convenu", "continue", "continua". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "continu"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "continu" is \kɔ̃.ti.ny\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "continu" come from?
"continu" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “continu”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is C-O-N-T-I-N-U - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \kɔ̃.ti.ny\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “convenu” - see the side-by-side comparison. continu vs convenu
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list