contiguous

contiguous — adjective

1. describes two or more areas or objects whose edges or borders lie next to each o

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes two or more areas or objects whose edges or borders lie next to each other without any space between them.

Example

Canada and the United States share the longest contiguous border in the world.

collocation: contiguous border

The three contiguous rooms on the second floor became one large classroom.

collocation: contiguous rooms

Common collocations
  • contiguous border
  • contiguous plots
  • contiguous rooms
  • contiguous blocks
  • contiguous land
  • contiguous boundaries
  • contiguous states
Synonyms
  • adjacent

    Most common and neutral term; simply means 'next to', with or without actual contact — less precise than contiguous.

  • adjoining

    Implies a shared boundary or connection point, such as adjoining rooms sharing a door or wall.

  • abutting

    Technical term used mainly in property law and construction; means directly touching along a boundary.

  • neighbouring

    More general — refers to things in the same area without necessarily touching; commonly used for regions or countries.

Antonyms
  • separate

    Not connected or touching; the most general opposite.

  • isolated

    Emphasises being apart or cut off from other things.

  • noncontiguous

    The direct negative form; used in technical and formal contexts.

Grammar Patterns

contiguous + noun

be + contiguous + with/to + noun

Usage Note

More formal than 'touching' or 'next to'. Commonly used in geography, property descriptions, urban planning, and technical writing. In everyday conversation, simpler alternatives like 'next to each other' or 'touching' are preferred.

Common Mistakes

The two countries have a contiguous history of trade.
The two countries share a long history of continuous trade.
'contiguous' describes physical touching, not ongoing activity. Use 'continuous' for unbroken time.
The disease was contiguous among the children.
The disease was contagious among the children.
'contiguous' and 'contagious' are often confused due to similar spelling. 'Contagious' refers to disease transmission.

2. describing events, periods, or items that follow one another without a break or

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing events, periods, or items that follow one another without a break or gap in between.

Example

The company reported losses for three contiguous quarters before returning to profit.

collocation: contiguous quarters

Maja studied two contiguous chapters every night to prepare for the final exam.

collocation: contiguous chapters

Common collocations
  • contiguous quarters
  • contiguous chapters
  • contiguous days
  • contiguous time slots
  • contiguous periods
  • contiguous days off
  • contiguous data blocks
Synonyms
  • consecutive

    The most common alternative for temporal sequences; less formal than 'contiguous' but carries the same meaning of one after another.

  • successive

    Emphasises the order of following in sequence; often used for lists or rankings.

  • uninterrupted

    Focuses on the absence of a break rather than on the order of items; broader in meaning.

Antonyms
  • interrupted

    Having breaks or pauses between events or items.

  • disconnected

    Not linked or following in sequence; with gaps.

  • separate

    Individual items that are not part of a continuous sequence.

Grammar Patterns

contiguous + noun (time period or sequence)

Usage Note

Primarily used in formal, academic, or technical contexts such as finance (contiguous quarters), computing (contiguous data blocks), and statistics (contiguous data points). In everyday English, 'consecutive' or 'back-to-back' are more common alternatives.

Common Mistakes

I read three contiguous books this weekend.
I read three books in a row this weekend.
'contiguous' sounds overly formal for casual reading. Use 'in a row' or 'consecutive' instead.
The movie had contiguous action from start to finish.
The movie had continuous action from start to finish.
'contiguous' refers to items in a sequence touching each other, not to something being uninterrupted within itself.

Word family

  • contiguously
    adverbC1
  • contiguity
    nounC1
  • noncontiguous
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe things that are close to or touch each other, but they differ in precision and context. 'Adjacent' is the most general and widely used — it simply means 'next to', whether or not the items actually touch (adjacent houses may have a driveway between them). 'Adjoining' is more specific than adjacent: it implies a shared connection point, such as adjoining hotel rooms linked by a door. 'Contiguous' (the headword) is the most precise — it means edges or borders touch with nothing between, and is the best choice when exact contact matters (contiguous states, contiguous plots of land). 'Abutting' is a technical term used mainly in legal and construction contexts for things that press directly against each other (abutting walls, abutting properties). 'Neighbouring' is the least precise — it refers to things in the same general area and does not require contact at all. For everyday speech, 'adjacent' and 'neighbouring' are most natural; for formal writing where exact boundary contact matters, 'contiguous' or 'adjoining' are preferred. For example: France and Germany are neighbouring countries that share a continuous border, but only specific sections of that border are covered by contiguous treaty zones.

adjacent ↗adjoiningabuttingneighbouring ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a contiguous block
  • in contiguous order
  • contiguous with/to something

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Contiguous comes from Latin 'contiguus', meaning 'touching, bordering upon', which itself comes from 'con-' (together) and 'tangere' (to touch). The same Latin root 'tangere' also gives us 'tangent', 'tangible', 'contact', and 'contagious'. The word entered English in the early 1600s and has retained its core spatial meaning ever since, later extending to temporal sequences.