# perpetual

/pɝˈpɛtʃuəɫ/ (US) · /pəpˈɛtʃuːəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/perpetual
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. lasting forever

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

lasting forever or for a very long time.

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

- The two countries signed a treaty of perpetual peace to end the war.
- The trust was established to provide perpetual funding for the library, ensuring its operations would continue long after the original donors had passed.

### 3. flowering all season

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

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

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

- These perpetual roses will keep your garden colourful until the first frost.
- The hybrid perpetual roses became immensely popular in the nineteenth century due to their ability to bloom reliably in both spring and autumn.

## Examples

- The mountain peaks are covered in perpetual snow.
- The city's perpetual traffic congestion has forced the local government to invest heavily in public transport.
- In the high Arctic, the summer months are characterized by perpetual daylight, which significantly alters the biological rhythms of the local wildlife.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.