contemporary

contemporary
This word means "existing, living, or occurring at the same time." It is not a synonym for either present-day or modern unless no other question of time is involved and the inference is "contemporary with now." If the time frame of reference is that of Queen Elizabeth I, then a lecture on contemporary drama would mean plays of Elizabethan times. If the frame of reference is to drama of the present day, the time of Elizabeth II, then contemporary would mean "now." Because contemporary means what it does, it is an error to use it with more (meaning "to a greater degree"). It is impossible for something to be more contemporary; probably what is meant is more modern."An Elizabethan play in modern costume" is clearer in meaning than "an Elizabethan play in contemporary dress."

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • Contemporary — may refer to: * Modern era in its generic sense, living, occurring, or existing, at the same time; often also used as a synonym for modern * Contemporary philosophy, Western philosophy from c. 1960 presentIn music: * Contemporary music, post 1945 …   Wikipedia

  • contemporary — contemporary, contemporaneous 1. Contemporary has two main meanings: (1) ‘living or occurring at the same time’, both as an adjective (often followed by with) and as a noun (often followed by of): • Austen Layard, a contemporary of Wallace who… …   Modern English usage

  • contemporary — adj Contemporary, contemporaneous, coeval, coetaneous, synchronous, simultaneous, coincident, concomitant, concurrent are comparable when they mean existing, living, or occurring at the same time. In contemporary and contemporaneous (of which… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Contemporary R&B — (englisch für zeitgenössischer R B), meist nur R B, bezeichnet eine Musikrichtung, die ihre Ursprünge im afroamerikanischen Rhythm and Blues (R B) hat. In den 1980er Jahren nahmen die ersten Interpreten Musik auf, die als moderne Form des R Bs… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Contemporary — Con*tem po*ra*ry, a. [Pref. con + L. temporarius of belonging to time, tempus time. See {Temporal}, and cf. {Contemporaneous}.] 1. Living, occuring, or existing, at the same time; done in, or belonging to, the same times; contemporaneous. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Contemporary — est une compagnie de disques californienne fondée à la fin des années 1940 par Lester Koenig. Au début des années 50, Contemporary publie les séances dirigées par Howard Rumsey au Lighthouse d Hermosa Beach. Le label va publier les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • contemporary — UK US /kənˈtempərəri/, /kənˈtempəri/ adjective ► existing or happening now: »There is a need to remain responsive to the ever changing challenges and opportunities of the contemporary business environment. »While there is a small but steady… …   Financial and business terms

  • contemporary — [kən tem′pə rer΄ē] adj. [< L com , with + temporarius, of time < tempus, time: see TEMPER] 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 MODERN n …   English World dictionary

  • contemporary — [adj1] modern abreast, à la mode*, au courant, contempo*, current, existent, extant, hot off press*, in fashion, instant, in vogue, just out*, latest, leading edge*, mod*, new, newfangled, now, present, present day, recent, red hot*, state of the …   New thesaurus

  • Contemporary — Con*tem po*ra*ry, n.; pl. {Contemporaries}. 1. One who lives at the same time with another; as, Petrarch and Chaucer were contemporaries. [1913 Webster] 2. a person of nearly the same age as another. Syn: coeval. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • contemporary — I adjective co existent, latest, modern, new, present day, up to date, up to the minute II index concomitant, concurrent (at the same time), contemporaneous …   Law dictionary

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