English → Latin
“continence” in Latin
contineōto hold, keep, connect, contain, maintain; to hold or keep together/close; connect, surround; to keep in, enclose, boundtemperōto divide duly, qualify, temper, moderate; to combine, compound or blend properly; to rule, regulate, govern, manage, arabstineōto abstain; to keep, stay off or away, hold at a distance, avoid; to allow, letcastitāspurity; morality; chastitycastīmōniamorality; purity, chastity, abstinence
The English word continence itself goes back to Latin contineō, through continentia.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
continence
Self-restraint, continentia (command over sensual desires: opposed to libido; luxuria incontinentia; Vid: Cic., Invent., 2, 44, Gr. ἐγκρίτεια): temperantia (moderation in sensual enjoyments): abstinentia (in the Golden Age, is command over the desire of what belongs to another): imperium sui (the mastery over one’s own passions, Plin.): OBSERVE, animi continentia; integritas et continentia are in Cic. the integrity and continence of a good magistrate, etc.
Chastity, castitas: castimonia (as an abiding quality, and in a religious point of view): continentia (ecclesiastical technical term): abstinentia veneris (Quint.). To preserve continence, castitatem tueri: castitatis gloriam tenere (both Lactantius): continentiam servare (Augustus): an example of continence, exemplum continentiae: to live a life of continence (of a nun), *sanctimoniam per omnem vitam servare.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for continence?
- The usual Latin words for “continence” are contineō, temperō, abstineō; also castitās, castīmōnia. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.