Everlasting

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌɛvəˈlɑːstɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Relating to a quality that endures and remains unchanged throughout all time Pertaining to a state or condition that continues perpetually without interruption or decline Describing the nature of something that exists indefinitely without an end or termination
2. Continuing without any end in time, lasting eternally and never ceasing
3. Existing or persisting endlessly, unaffected by the passage of time and without interruption

Etymology: Everlasting is built from two plain English words: "ever," meaning always, and "lasting," meaning continuing. Its oldest ancestor is the Old English "ǣfre," which may come from a phrase meaning "in life," so the word's roots sit in the idea of living on. Old English "lǣstan" originally meant "to follow" or "to pursue," and the sense of continuing grew from there. The word's flower-related sense is a surprise. The plant Helichrysum basalticum is one of several species called an everlasting, because its blooms keep their colour and shape after drying. The name describes a flower that refuses to fade, an everyday version of the word's grander promise of endurance.

Synonyms: eternal, perpetual, unending, endless, timeless

Antonyms: temporary, fleeting, transitory, ephemeral, short-lived