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conterminous
May. 19th, 2009 07:33 amconterminous - adj., having a common boundary, bordering, contiguous.
As opposed to coterminous, meaning having the same boundaries and extent. Two administrative districts that meet at a boundary with no gap (such as neighboring counties) would be conterminous, while two that have the same boundary (such as a county and a fire district) would be coterminous. That said, comma, conterminous is sometimes taken as a synonym of coterminous -- and I can't say I approve. The two concepts need distinguishing and blurring meanings makes it even more confusing. Since around 1630, from Latin, from con-, with + terminus, boundary, limit.
---L.
As opposed to coterminous, meaning having the same boundaries and extent. Two administrative districts that meet at a boundary with no gap (such as neighboring counties) would be conterminous, while two that have the same boundary (such as a county and a fire district) would be coterminous. That said, comma, conterminous is sometimes taken as a synonym of coterminous -- and I can't say I approve. The two concepts need distinguishing and blurring meanings makes it even more confusing. Since around 1630, from Latin, from con-, with + terminus, boundary, limit.
---L.
