Contemporary Meaning
/kənˈtɛm.p(ə.)ɹə.ɹi/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjFrom the same time period, coexistent in time; contemporaneous.
adjModern, of the present age (shorthand for ‘contemporary with the present’).
Sentence Examples
The professor is familiar with contemporary literature.
Scott was a contemporary of Byron.
The gallery showcases contemporary art from artists around the world.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
She enjoys visiting museums that feature works by ____ artists living today.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The professor is familiar with ____ literature.
Word Origin & History
From Medieval Latin contemporārius, from Latin con- (“with, together”) + temporārius, an adjective derived from tempus (“time”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A neighb'ring Wood born with himself he sees, / And loves his old contemporary trees."
— a. 1667, Abraham Cowley, Claudian's Old Man of Verona^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Essays_(Cowley)/The_Dangers_of_an_Honest_Man_in_much_Company#Section23):
"As this King [Henry VIII] vvas contemporary vvith the greateſt Monarchs of Europe, viz. the Emperor, the Kings of Spain and France, ſo he vvas engaged in many VVars, and in divers Leagues and Pacifications vvith them or either of them; for the better conſulting the Peace of Mankind."
— 1721, John Strype, “A Notable Book Came Forth, Called, ’’A Supplication of the Poor Commons to the King’’; Shewing the Late State of the Kingdom. […]”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It: Shewing the Various Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry the Eighth. […], volume I, London: […] John Wyat, […], →OCLC, page 407:
"We live our lives in three dimensions for our threescore and ten allotted years. Yet every branch of contemporary science, from statistics to cosmology, alludes to processes that operate on scales outside of human experience: the millisecond and the nanometer, the eon and the light-year."
— 2012 January 26, Robert L. Dorit, “Rereading Darwin”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 14 Nov 2012, page 23:
"Men In Black 3 finagles its way out of this predicament by literally resetting the clock with a time-travel premise that makes Will Smith both a contemporary intergalactic cop in the late 1960s and a stranger to Josh Brolin, who plays the younger version of Smith’s stone-faced future partner, Tommy Lee Jones."
— 2012 May 24, Nathan Rabin, “Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2012:
"Life is predicated by the decisions and choices we make – and, earlier this year, the personal fused with the professional again as Mata reached the landmark moment when he knew he had to try to harness football’s power for the benefit of people less fortunate than him and his contemporaries."
— 2018 January 1, Donald McRae, “The Guardian footballer of the year 2017: Juan Mata”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 02 Feb 2018:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She enjoys visiting museums that feature works by ____ artists living today.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The professor is familiar with ____ literature.