Contemporary — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /kən-ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē/ con·tem·po·rary

Meaning & Definition of Contemporary

Contemporary (adjective)

  1. marked by characteristics of the present period, modern, current
  2. occurring at the same moment, simultaneous
  3. happening, existing, living, or coming into being during the same period of time

Contemporary (noun)

  1. one that is contemporary with another
  2. one of the same or nearly the same age as another

Contemporary (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. existing or occurring at the same period of time

    "the absurd notion that early cave dwellers were contemporary with the dinosaurs"

    similar: coetaneous, coeval, coexistent, coexisting, coextensive, coincident, coincidental, concurrent, contemporaneous, coterminous, simultaneous, synchronic, synchronous
    related: accompanying, attendant, attending, concomitant, incident
    opposite: asynchronous, noncontemporary, nonsimultaneous, nonsynchronous

  2. being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles

    "a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions"

    similar: current, designer, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, new, new age, new-fashioned, newfangled, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date, up-to-the-minute
    related: fashionable, happening, in, modish, nouvelle, now, stylish, last, latest, modernized, updated, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, recent
    opposite: antiquated, archaic, dated, fusty, musty, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, passé
    near: anachronistic, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, hoary, old, venerable, bygone, former, late, olden, past, antique, historic, historical, retro, retrograde, kaput, obsolete, outmoded, outworn, unmodernized, old-world, discarded, disused, moth-eaten, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless

Contemporary (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who lives at the same time or is about the same age as another

    "Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were exact contemporaries, actually being born on the same day in 1809"

    similar: coeval
    related: accompaniment, companion, concomitant, coordinate, counterpart, equal, equivalent, match, peer, rival

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Contemporary

The most common words with a similar meaning to Contemporary:

coetaneous, coeval, coexistent, coexisting, coextensive, coincident, coincidental, concurrent, contemporaneous, coterminous, simultaneous, synchronic, synchronous, current, designer, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, new, new age, new-fashioned, newfangled, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date, up-to-the-minute

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Contemporary

Words with the opposite meaning of Contemporary:

asynchronous, noncontemporary, nonsimultaneous, nonsynchronous, antiquated, archaic, dated, fusty, musty, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, passé

Related Words for Contemporary

accompanying, attendant, attending, concomitant, incident, fashionable, happening, in, modish, nouvelle, now, stylish, last, latest, modernized, updated, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, recent, accompaniment, companion, coordinate, counterpart, equal, equivalent, match, peer, rival

Near Antonyms of Contemporary

anachronistic, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, hoary, old, venerable, bygone, former, late, olden, past, antique, historic, historical, retro, retrograde, kaput, obsolete, outmoded, outworn, unmodernized, old-world, discarded, disused, moth-eaten, forgotten, remote, ageless

Word Forms of Contemporary

Inflections: contemporaries

Derived words: contemporarily (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Contemporary

probably borrowed from New Latin contemporārius "existing at the same period of time," from Latin con- con- + tempor-, tempus "time" + -ārius -ary:2 tempo

First known use: 1614

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Contemporary

Frequently Asked Questions about Contemporary

What does "Contemporary" mean?

"Contemporary" means marked by characteristics of the present period, modern, current. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: marked by characteristics of the present period, modern, current. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Contemporary"?

Other words for "Contemporary" include coetaneous, coeval, coexistent, coexisting, coextensive, coincident, coincidental and concurrent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Contemporary" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Contemporary"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Contemporary". Common alternatives include coetaneous, coeval, coexistent, coexisting, coextensive, coincident, coincidental, concurrent, contemporaneous and coterminous.

What is the opposite of "Contemporary"?

Antonyms of "Contemporary" include asynchronous, noncontemporary, nonsimultaneous, nonsynchronous, antiquated, archaic, dated and fusty. Near antonyms include anachronistic, aged, age-old and ancient.

How do you use "Contemporary" in a sentence?

Examples of "Contemporary" in a sentence: "the absurd notion that early cave dwellers were contemporary with the dinosaurs"; "a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions"; "Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were exact contemporaries, actually being born on the same day in 1809".

Is "Contemporary" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Contemporary" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Contemporary" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Contemporary" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Contemporary"?

"Contemporary" is pronounced /kən-ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē/ and divided into syllables as con·tem·po·rary.