The continuum is a range or series that gradually changes with no clearly defined boundaries. It can be used to describe anything that exists on a scale, from the smallest particle to the largest building. The word is often used in science to refer to the range of possibilities in a certain field.
For example, genetic mutations can be viewed as a continuum that runs from natural to harmful. Similarly, a range of parental styles can be seen as part of a continuum from heavy disciplining to a more child centered approach. The same can be said of the effects of various medications on patients. Some, such as antidepressants, can have a positive effect and others, such as cocaine, can be very damaging.
Continuum is also the name of a 1990s science fiction play-by-mail game. It was later used as the name of a computer graphics program, based on the original play-by-mail game. Here are a few more words that are related to the concept of the continuum: the continuum