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incessant

in·ces·sant

incessant

 
 
pronunciation:
ihn se snt
features:
Word Combinations (adjective), Word Parts
part of speech: adjective
definition: never ceasing; continual.
The incessant drone of a mosquito kept her awake half the night.
synonyms:
ceaseless, constant, continual, continuous, unceasing
antonyms:
intermittent, occasional
similar words:
chronic, endless, everlasting, interminable, nonstop, perpetual, persistent, relentless, restless, unbroken, unrelenting, unremitting
Word Combinations  About this feature
adverb + (adj.)incessant seemingly
(adj.)incessant + noun activity, alarm, attack, barking, barrage, bombing, chatter, claim, conversation, criticism, crying, demand, desire, din, downpour, drum, insect, meddling, monologue, mosquito, motion, mutation, noise, pounding, prayer, propaganda, questioning, rain, repetition, restlessness, ringing, session, sound, struggle, talker, talking, tapping, teasing, touring, traffic, train, travel, warfare, warning, whining, wind [See all][See only the most frequent]
derivation: incessantly (adv.)
Word Parts  About this feature
The word incessant contains the following parts:
in-2 Latin prefix that means not, without
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The prefix in-2 occurs in Latin loanwords and attaches to Latinate bases. The bases of most words prefixed with in-2 are independent adjectives (inadvertent , incognizant ), although the base adjective may no longer be in widespread use (as with incessant ). Exceptions include iniquitous and indignant . -in2 has multiple forms, as the 'n' sound in in-2 assimilates to the initial sound of the base to which it is attached. See the assimilated forms ig-, il-2, im-2, and ir-2.
-ant, -ent Latin adjective- and noun-forming suffix that means (in adjectives) doing the action denoted by the verb root; (in nouns) one who or that which does the action denoted by the verb root.
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The suffix -ant , -ent forms adjectives and, to a much lesser extent, nouns from Latin verb stems such as fid in confident and stud in student . This suffix is the equivalent in Latin of the "-ing" inflection in English. Many adjectives ending in -ant , -ent have a corresponding noun ending in -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency.