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contemporary Definition

con·tem·po·rary (kən tem′pə rer′ē)

adjective

  1. living or happening in the same period of time
  2. of about the same age
  3. of or in the style of the present or recent times; modern

Etymology: < L com-, with + temporarius, of time < tempus, time: see temper

noun pl. -·rar′·ies

  1. a person living in the same period as another or others
  2. a person or thing of about the same age or date of origin as another

contemporary Synonyms

contemporary

modif.

  1. Occurring at the same time

    contemporaneous, synchronous, coeval, simultaneous, coexistent, coincident, concurrent, co-occurring, synchronal, synchronic, coetaneous, coexisting; see also simultaneous.

  2. Current

    modern, present, up-to-date, à la mode; see modern 1, 3.

contemporary and contemporaneous both mean existing or happening at the same period of time, contemporary (often applied to the present) referring more often to persons or their works, and contemporaneous, to events; coeval implies extension over the same period of time when a remote time or very long duration is involved; synchronous implies exact correspondence in time of occurrence or rate of movement; simultaneous implies occurrence at the same brief interval of time

contemporary Synonyms

contemporary

n.

peer, coeval, fellow, counterpart; see equal.

contemporary Usage Examples

Preposition: with

event: His sources are generally firsthand accounts contemporary with the events, even down to Punch magazines of the 1800s.

Adjective modifier

  • Jewish: They are the words of a man at peace but they also recognize something which his Jewish contemporaries did not.
  • own: To many of his own contemporaries, his images of the poor were insulting.

Modifies a noun

  • art: Who says there is no appetite for contemporary art?
  • artist: Out of 3000 entries only 52 contemporary artists were selected.
  • society: In contemporary western societies, these have strong positive connotations.
  • culture: These will need to be appropriately applied to the contemporary culture of the people of God.
  • dance: Contemporary dance is not blessed with a plethora of media coverage on any platform.
  • poetry: Poetry pamphlets are a popular and practical way to publish, buy and collect contemporary poetry.

Modifying Another Word

  • strikingly: Their shop takes its name from an ammonite found in Dorset, eons old, but the work on display here is strikingly contemporary.
  • roughly: Contrast with that this roughly contemporary figurine of an actor playing a modest young woman [ 19 ] .
  • highly: These oil paintings show a respect for the Pre-Raphaelites, Picasso, Munch and Van Gogh yet are highly contemporary, urban and modern.
  • mostly: This is a very talented bunch playing mostly contemporary material with the odd traditional bluegrass tune played in contemporary style.
  • probably: The more recent channel is probably contemporary with that below the Teign.
  • very: The large blue Aga adds the finishing touch to the very contemporary look.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: Paradoxically, much older work can seem contemporary if it addresses a sense of political drift.
  • sound: New Order have always managed to sound contemporary through the years, often they've sounded innovative and groundbreaking.
  • understand: Japanese Studies at Manchester offers you the opportunity to understand contemporary Japan through its language, culture and history.
  • look: Keep your windows looking contemporary include current trends for example the film Memoirs of a Geisha demure but naughty.
  • offer: The course curriculum has always offered contemporary, vocational subjects relevant to the needs of the Gaidhealtachd and the wider Gaelic community.