{
    "term": "eternal",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "without an end; existing or continuing forever",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the promise of eternal life in heaven"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's an eternal optimist *(= she always expects that the best will happen)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "eternal truths *(= ideas that are always true and never change)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You have my eternal gratitude *(= very great )*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**To his eternal credit** *(= very great credit)*, he never gave up."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Newspapers are simply responding to the eternal fascination of their readers with the private lives of the rich and famous."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The story is about a woman who is offered the elixir of eternal youth."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The two heroes swore eternal friendship."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The universe was about to be plunged again into eternal darkness."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "happening often and seeming never to stop",
            "labels": "(disapproving)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I'm tired of your eternal arguments."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "constant"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "people never stop hoping",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": []
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈtɜːnl/",
                "audio": "et/eternal/eternal__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈtɜːrnl/",
                "audio": "et/eternal/eternal__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin aeternalis, from Latin aeternus, from aevum ‘age’."
}