adj. 1. Being without beginning or end: belief in an eternal creator. 2. a. Continuing without interruption; perpetual: earned my eternal gratitude. See Synonyms at continual. b. Seemingly endless; interminable: eternal waiting at the airport. n. 1. Something timeless, uninterrupted, or endless: "Shall we speak of universals and eternals?" (Cynthia Ozick). 2. Eternal God. Used with the. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin aeternālis, from Latin aeternus; see aiw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] e′ter·nali·ty (ē′tər-nălĭ-tē), e·ternal·ness n. e·ternal·ly adv. |
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