Contemporary things are modern and relate to the present time.
They wanted traditional music; he felt more contemporary music would aid outreach.
Perhaps he should have a more updated look, a more contemporary style.
Only the names are ancient; the characters are modern and contemporary.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Contemporary people or things were alive or happened at the same time as something else you are talking about.
...drawing upon official records and the reports of contemporary witnesses.
Synonyms: coexisting, concurrent, contemporaneous, synchronous More Synonyms of contemporary
3. countable noun [usually plural]
Someone's contemporary is a person who is or was alive at the same time as them.
Like most of my contemporaries, I grew up in a vastly different world.
...a glossary of musical terms found in Shakespeare and his contemporaries.
Synonyms: peer, fellow, equal, compeer More Synonyms of contemporary
More Synonyms of contemporary
contemporary in British English
(kənˈtɛmprərɪ)
adjective
1.
belonging to the same age; living or occurring in the same period of time
2.
existing or occurring at the present time
3.
conforming to modern or current ideas in style, fashion, design, etc
4.
having approximately the same age as one another
nounWord forms: plural-raries
5.
a person living at the same time or of approximately the same age as another
6.
something that is contemporary
7. journalism
a rival newspaper
▶ USAGE Since contemporary can mean either of the same period or of the present period, it is best to avoidthis word where ambiguity might arise, as in a production of Othello in contemporary dress. Modern dress or Elizabethan dress should be used in this example to avoid ambiguity
Derived forms
contemporarily (conˈtemporarily)
adverb
contemporariness (conˈtemporariness)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Medieval Latin contemporārius, from Latin com- together + temporārius relating to time, from tempus time
contemporary in American English
(kənˈtɛmpəˌrɛri)
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
see also modern
nounWord forms: pluralconˈtempoˌraries
4.
a person living in the same period as another or others
5.
a person or thing of about the same age or date of origin as another
SYNONYMY NOTE: contemporary, 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 durationis involved; , synchronous implies exact correspondence in time of occurrence or rate of movement; , simultaneous implies occurrence at the same brief interval of time
Word origin
< L com-, with + temporarius, of time < tempus, time: see temper
Examples of 'contemporary' in a sentence
contemporary
It is quite an architectural tree and we are going for a contemporary look.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But he is one of the best detectives in contemporary fiction.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And that was essentially the leitmotif for contemporary design.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His contemporaries have all taken on the role with a reasonable degree of success.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
This hotel offers a contemporary design with modern comforts and is the perfect base for exploring this beautiful city.
The Sun (2017)
Her experience of contemporary classical music was limited until she met Haas.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Design now includes systems and software, the most important products in the contemporary world.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It all added up to something contemporary, challenging and very exciting.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Selling point A classic solution with contemporary style.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The 33 rooms are furnished in sleek contemporary style, with strikingly modern decor in the public areas.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His ambiguity on this point reflects a gap in his account of contemporary liberalism.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
Historic sportswear and contemporary fashions are shown side by side to explore how sport influences designers.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Top tip when choosing luxury bathroom decor is to keep the look broadly contemporary.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The orchestra also stirred disquiet by playing contemporary music.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The safest bets are classical modern and contemporary paintings.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But obviously it would be nicer if it were entertaining enough to draw people to contemporary art.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Digital technology is already ubiquitous on the contemporary art scene.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Suicide is not often used in contemporary fiction and is very much taboo.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Sometimes a single picture sheds light on ancient history or contemporary politics.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is a museum of contemporary and historic design.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Why are so few contemporary pop hits taken up as football chants?
The Sun (2006)
Another contemporary has dropped off the map.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Culture often takes the role of religion in our contemporary world.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The simple graphic pattern plays well with the architectural style of contemporary garden rooms.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The gallery specialises in contemporary figurative and landscape paintings.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The challenge was to bring a contemporary attitude to something historical.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But in so doing they defy contemporary fashions.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They looked like a contemporary chain gang.
Kennedy, Douglas In God's Country: travels in the Bible belt, USA. (1989)
Contemporary worship music is melody driven and relatively easy to sing.
Christianity Today (2000)
Historians contemporary and modern generally accept the authenticity of the four letters.
John Freely JEM SULTAN: The Adventures of a Captive Turkish Prince in Renaissance Europe (2004)
People who dislike contemporary art often complain that it will not endure like the masterpieces of bygone eras.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We wanted to write about the contemporary scene in a way we didn't feel was happening.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Its research centres focus on subjects such as contemporary fiction and transitional economics in China.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
contemporary
British English: contemporary /kənˈtɛmprərɪ/ ADJECTIVE
Contemporary means existing now or at the time you are talking about.
...contemporary music.
American English: contemporary
Arabic: مُعَاصِر
Brazilian Portuguese: contemporâneo
Chinese: 当代的
Croatian: suvremen
Czech: současný
Danish: samtidig
Dutch: eigentijds
European Spanish: contemporáneo
Finnish: nykyajan
French: contemporain
German: zeitgenössisch
Greek: σύγχρονος
Italian: contemporaneo
Japanese: 現代の
Korean: 동시대의
Norwegian: samtidig
Polish: współczesny
European Portuguese: contemporâneo
Romanian: contemporan
Russian: современный
Latin American Spanish: contemporáneo
Swedish: samtidig
Thai: ร่วมสมัย
Turkish: çağdaş
Ukrainian: сучасний
Vietnamese: đương thời
British English: contemporary NOUN
Someone's contemporary is a person who is or was alive at the same time as them.
Like most of my contemporaries, I grew up in a vastly different world.
American English: contemporary
Brazilian Portuguese: contemporâneo
Chinese: 同时代的人
European Spanish: contemporáneo
French: contemporain
German: Altersgenosse
Italian: coetaneo
Japanese: 同年代の
Korean: 동시대의
European Portuguese: contemporâneo
Latin American Spanish: contemporáneo
Chinese translation of 'contemporary'
contemporary
(kənˈtɛmpərərɪ)
adj
(= present-day)[art, music, society, artist etc]当(當)代的 (dāngdài de)
(= of the same time)[account, writer, artist etc]同一时(時)代的 (tóngyī shídài de)
n(c)
(= person) 同代人 (tóngdàirén)
Shakespeare and his contemporaries莎士比亚(亞)和他的同代人 (Shāshìbǐyà hé tā de tóngdàirén)
1 (adjective)
Definition
modern in style or fashion
The gallery holds regular exhibitions of contemporary art, sculpture and photography.
Synonyms
modern
a more tailored and modern style
latest
Latest reports say that another five people have been rushed to hospital.
recent
a faster, sleeker, more recent model
current
current trends in the music scene
with it (old-fashioned, informal)
Don't you hate it when politicians try to be with it and trendy?
trendy (British, informal)
a trendy London nightclub
up-to-date
This production is bang up-to-date.
present-day
Even by present-day standards, these were huge aircraft.
in fashion
That sort of dress is in fashion again.
up-to-the-minute
à la mode
newfangled
Not all of these newfangled ideas are entirely without merit.
happening (informal)
present
the government's present economic difficulties
ultramodern
Opposites
old
,
early
,
antique
,
old-fashioned
,
obsolete
,
out-of-date
,
antecedent
,
passé
2 (adjective)
Definition
of approximately the same age
The book draws upon official records and the reports of contemporary witnesses.
Synonyms
coexisting
concurrent
He will actually be serving three concurrent sentences.
contemporaneous
synchronous
coexistent
coeval
coetaneous (rare)
(noun)
Definition
a person or thing living at the same time or of approximately the same age as another
a glossary of terms used by Shakespeare and his contemporaries
Synonyms
peer
Her personality made her popular with her peers.
fellow
He stood out from all his fellows at work.
equal
She was one of them, their equal.
compeer
Usage note
Since contemporary can mean either `of the present period' or `of the same period', it is best to avoid it where ambiguity might arise, as in a production of Othello in contemporary dress. A synonym such as modern or present-day would clarify if the sense `of the present period' were being used, while a specific term, such as Elizabethan, would be appropriate if the sense `of the same period' were being used.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of coeval
Definition
contemporary
Synonyms
contemporary,
contemporaneous,
synchronous,
coexistent,
coetaneous (rare)
in the sense of concurrent
Definition
taking place at the same time or place
He will actually be serving three concurrent sentences.