eternal

UK: /ɪˈtɜː^rn^əl/ US: /ɪˈtɝnəl/ ,(i tûr′nl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•ter•nal /ɪˈtɜrnəl/   adj. 

1. having no beginning or end;
   lasting forever:
   the eternal movement of the planets.
2. perpetual;
   constant:
   This eternal chatter is driving me crazy.
3. enduring;
   long-lasting:
   eternal principles of truth.

e•ter•nal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

eternal, endless, everlasting, perpetual imply lasting or going on without ceasing. That which is eternal is, by its nature, without beginning or end: God, the eternal Being. That which is endless never stops but goes on continuously as if in a circle: an endless succession of years. That which is everlasting will last through all future time: a promise of everlasting life. perpetual implies continuous renewal, a starting again and again, far into the future: perpetual strife between nations.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•ter•nal  (i tûr′nl), adj. 

1. without beginning or end; lasting forever;
   always existing (opposed to temporal):
   eternal life.
2. perpetual;
   ceaseless;
   endless:
   eternal quarreling; eternal chatter.
3. enduring;
   immutable:
   eternal principles.
4. Philosophy [Metaphys.] existing outside all relations of time;
   not subject to change.

n. 

5. something that is eternal.
6. the Eternal, God.

• Late Latin aeternālis, equivalent. to aetern(us) (see eterne) + -ālis -al¹
• Middle English 1350–1400

e•ter•nal•i•ty  (ē′tûr nal′i tē), e•ter′nal•ness, n.  e•ter′nal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. permanent, unending.
  Eternal, endless, everlasting, perpetual imply lasting or going on without ceasing. That which is eternal is, by its nature, without beginning or end:
  God, the eternal Father.
  That which is endless never stops but goes on continuously as if in a circle:
  an endless succession of years.
  That which is everlasting will endure through all future time:
  a promise of everlasting life.
  Perpeptual implies continuous renewal as far into the future as one can foresee:
  perpetual strife between nations.
• 3. timeless, immortal, deathless, undying, imperishable, indestructible.

Antonyms

• 1. transitory.
• 3. mutable.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

eternal / ɪˈtɜːn^əl/ adjective

1. without beginning or end; lasting for ever: eternal life
2. (as noun): the eternal
3. (often capital) denoting or relating to that which is without beginning and end, regarded as an attribute of God
4. unchanged by time, esp being true or valid for all time; immutable: eternal truths
5. seemingly unceasing; occurring again and again: eternal bickering

Etymology: 14th Century: from Late Latin aeternālis, from Latin aeternus; related to Latin aevum age

ˌeterˈnality, eˈternalness noun

eˈternally adverb