Con·ti·nen·tal a.
 1. Of or pertaining to a continent.
 2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition.
    No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances.
 3. Amer. Hist. Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money.
    The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the =\“Ministerial army.”\=   --W. Irving.
 Continental Congress. See under Congress.
 Continental system Hist., the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe.
 Continental Congress
      n : the legislative assembly composed of delegates from the
          rebel colonies who met during and after the American
          Revolution; they issued the Declaration of Independence
          and framed Articles of Confederation