The spelling of the word "contiguous" can be tricky, but it's not difficult to understand once you break it down phonetically. The word is pronounced kənˈtɪɡjuəs, with stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is represented by the letters c-o-n and the schwa sound ə, while the t-i-g-u sequence in the second syllable can be tricky to spell. The final syllable is straightforward, with -u-o-s being pronounced as yu-uhs. Overall, the spelling of "contiguous" reflects its elegant sound and meaning, suggesting objects or regions that are touching or closely connected.
Contiguous is an adjective that describes things or areas that are in direct contact or next to each other without any gaps or interruptions. It refers to things or places that share a common border or are physically adjacent to each other.
When applied to geography or spatial arrangements, contiguous describes regions or territories that are touching or adjacent. For example, it is often used to describe the United States and its contiguous states without Alaska and Hawaii, as they are physically connected and form an uninterrupted landmass. Similarly, it may be used to describe a series of adjacent buildings or properties that are all connected without any breaks.
Contiguous can also refer to things or elements that are in close proximity or sequential order without any gaps or interruptions. For instance, in a written piece, contiguous paragraphs are those that flow smoothly from one to the next without any breaks or disconnections. In mathematics, contiguous numbers are consecutive integers that follow a specific sequence without any missing values.
Overall, contiguous is a term used to describe a state of being directly connected or adjacent without any gaps or interruptions, whether it applies to physical spaces, geographic regions, virtual or written sequences, or other related contexts.
Adjacent or in actual contact.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Touching; close together; neighbouring; adjoining.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "contiguous" originated from the Latin word "contiguus", which comes from the combination of the prefix "con-" meaning "together" or "with", and "tangere" meaning "to touch". Therefore, "contiguus" can be translated as "touching or bordering on something". The term was later adopted into the English language, retaining its meaning of being in close proximity or sharing a common boundary.