contemporary
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.belonging to the present time.
adj.belonging to or occurring in the present; often used to describe current styles in art, design, or thought.
Simple“The museum has a great collection of contemporary art from local painters.”
In context“Contemporary architects often prioritise sustainable materials and energy efficiency over the purely ornamental flourishes seen in previous centuries.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.living or happening at the same time as something else.
adj.existing, occurring, or living at the same time; contemporaneous.
Simple“The two events were contemporary, though they happened in different countries.”
In context“The diary provides a contemporary account of the revolution, offering insights that later historical analyses often overlook.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a person who lives at the same time or is about the same age as another.
n.a person or thing living or existing at the same time as another; often refers to peers within a specific professional or social generation.
Simple“He was a contemporary of the famous writer at university.”
In context“Though they were contemporaries at the conservatory, the two composers developed radically different musical languages during their respective careers.”
Usage contemporary art
“Contemporary silent films are touring around the New York area this summer as part of Modern Silent Shorts.”
“She wrote Hagitude – “hags with attitude” – when she was approaching 60, because she couldn’t see a place for older women in contemporary culture.”
From Medieval Latin contemporārius, from Latin con- (“with, together”) + temporārius, an adjective derived from tempus (“time”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.