contiguous

adjective

con·​tig·​u·​ous kən-ˈti-gyə-wəs How to pronounce contiguous (audio)
-gyü-əs
1
: being in actual contact : touching along a boundary or at a point
the 48 contiguous states
2
of angles : adjacent sense 2
3
: next or near in time or sequence
The fires were contiguous with the earthquake.
4
: touching or connected throughout in an unbroken sequence
contiguous row houses
contiguous vineyards
contiguously adverb
contiguousness noun

Did you know?

Time to get a little closer with contiguous, a word likely most familiar in the phrase "contiguous United States." Otherwise known as the conterminous United States, this region comprises the collective states within the U.S. that connect geographically by shared borders, as well as the nation's capital. Looking for a word to describe freestanding states like Hawaii and Alaska, or seabound territories along the lines of Guam and American Samoa? Today’s word has a direct antonym: noncontiguous. Both come from the Latin verb contingere, meaning "to be in contact with."

Choose the Right Synonym for contiguous

adjacent, adjoining, contiguous, juxtaposed mean being in close proximity.

adjacent may or may not imply contact but always implies absence of anything of the same kind in between.

a house with an adjacent garage

adjoining definitely implies meeting and touching at some point or line.

had adjoining rooms at the hotel

contiguous implies having contact on all or most of one side.

offices in all 48 contiguous states

juxtaposed means placed side by side especially so as to permit comparison and contrast.

a skyscraper juxtaposed to a church

Examples of contiguous in a Sentence

And in the west, contiguous to Lebanon, was the mountain stronghold of Latakia … Robert D. Kaplan, Atlantic, February 1993
The Santa Monica Mountains, a sort of foot-note to the big contiguous ranges, stood off to the southwest of us, discrete and small. John McPhee, New Yorker, 26 Sept. 1988
'I've had my men looking into the land situation … and they think they could get us an additional thirty thousand acres, not all of it contiguous but we might make some trades.' James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
Connecticut and Massachusetts are contiguous states.
Recent Examples on the Web Alaska has warmed more than twice as rapidly as the contiguous United States with average annual air temperature increasing by 3 degrees Fahrenheit and average winter temperatures rising by 6 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Climate Assessment. Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2024 Next total solar eclipse The next total solar eclipse won’t be visible again, at least in the contiguous United States, until 2045, according to Schmoll. Amy Huschka, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024 The next total solar eclipse that will be visible across the contiguous United States won’t appear until August 2044. Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 The sale is valid in the contiguous United States from March 26 to June 5, but is only valid for travel to international destinations, Hawaii, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 26 to May 22. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2024 Furthermore, the contiguous United States experienced its warmest-ever winter, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 After April 8, the contiguous United States won't see another total solar eclipse for 20 years. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 This map of the contiguous United States shows how temperatures departed from average for meteorological winter — December 2023 through February 2024. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 The April 2024 total solar eclipse will be the last one visible from the contiguous United States until 2044. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contiguous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin contiguus "adjacent, neighboring" (from contig-, variant stem of contingere "to be in contact with" + -uus, deverbal adjective suffix) + -ous — more at contingent entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of contiguous was circa 1609

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Dictionary Entries Near contiguous

Cite this Entry

“Contiguous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contiguous. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

contiguous

adjective
con·​tig·​u·​ous kən-ˈtig-yə-wəs How to pronounce contiguous (audio)
1
: being in contact : adjoining
2
: very near though not in contact
3
: touching or connected in an unbroken series
the 48 contiguous states of the U.S.
contiguously adverb

Medical Definition

contiguous

adjective
con·​tig·​u·​ous kən-ˈtig-yə-wəs How to pronounce contiguous (audio)
: being in actual contact : touching along a boundary or at a point
contiguity noun
plural contiguities
contiguously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on contiguous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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