contemporary

contemporary is on the Academic Word List.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /kənˈtɛm.p(ə).rər.i/ or /kənˈtɛm.p(ə).ri/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

Positive contemporary

Comparative more contemporary

Superlative most contemporary

1. If something is contemporary it is related to this time (now). Technically, this is an incorrect usage; better is to use "modern", "now" or "present-day".
   • Synonym: modern

   The artist has a great knowledge of the sources of historical and contemporary art.

2. If ${\displaystyle x}$ is contemporary with ${\displaystyle y}$, they happened at about the same time.
   • Synonym: modern

   They are sources that are contemporary or near contemporary with the period being studied.

Noun

Singular contemporary

Plural contemporaries

1. (countable) Somebody's contemporary is a person who lived at or near the same time.

   This is what made Marx so different from his socialist contemporaries.