ENGLISH
REFERENCE

perpetual

adj.
US //pɝˈpɛtʃuəɫ// UK //pəpˈɛtʃuːəl// per·pet·u·al
  1. 1 lasting forever (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    lasting forever or for a very long time.

    lasting for an indefinitely long period or for eternity. Often used in legal or formal contexts to describe agreements or states.

    Example

    The two countries signed a treaty of perpetual peace to end the war.

    Example

    The trust was established to provide perpetual funding for the library, ensuring its operations would continue long after the original donors had passed.
  2. 2 flowering all season (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Botany

    describing a plant that produces flowers throughout the whole growing season.

    producing a succession of flowers throughout the growing season rather than blooming only once.

    Example

    These perpetual roses will keep your garden colourful until the first frost.

    Example

    The hybrid perpetual roses became immensely popular in the nineteenth century due to their ability to bloom reliably in both spring and autumn.
    • ever blooming
Origin

From Middle English perpetuel, from Old French perpetuel, from Latin perpetuālis (“universal”), from perpetuus, from petō.

Word family

© 2026 English Reference