supercontinent

noun

su·​per·​con·​ti·​nent ˈsü-pər-ˌkän-tə-nənt How to pronounce supercontinent (audio)
-ˌkänt-nənt
Synonyms of supercontinentnext
: a hypothetical former large continent from which other continents are held to have broken off and drifted away

Examples of supercontinent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And each episode is one of those hotspots that defines both that place, but also, together, defines the whole of the supercontinent. — Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025 Three times in the modern era, the world has been convulsed by fights over the supercontinent and the waters around it. — Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 Earlier research focused on the velocity of seismic waves, showing that wave speed slowed by about 2% upon arriving at the supercontinents. — Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025 In the Cold War, Washington—twice burned by Eurasian conflagrations—opted to keep the supercontinent from combusting again. — Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for supercontinent

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supercontinent was in 1960

Rhymes for supercontinent

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Browse Nearby Words

superconservative
supercontinent
supercontract
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Cite this Entry

“Supercontinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supercontinent. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

supercontinent

noun
su·​per·​con·​ti·​nent ˈsü-pər-ˌkänt-ᵊn-ənt How to pronounce supercontinent (audio)
-ˌkänt-nənt
: a former large continent which is assumed to have existed and from which other continents broke off and drifted away

More from Merriam-Webster on supercontinent

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for supercontinent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about supercontinent

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