What does contemporary mean?
Contemporary describes things that belong to the present time, or people and events that exist during the same period. As an adjective, it has two main uses: first, to signal that something is current or modern — contemporary music, contemporary architecture, contemporary politics — and second, to indicate shared timing with a specific reference point, as when historians call a document a 'contemporary account' of an event, meaning it was written by someone who lived through it. It also serves as a noun: a person's contemporaries are those who lived, worked, or were active at the same time, making them natural peers or rivals. The word derives from Latin roots meaning 'with time', reflecting its core idea of coexisting within the same era. In cultural contexts, 'contemporary' often suggests freshness and relevance, though it is a neutral descriptor rather than a term of praise. Because it can refer either to today in general or to any shared historical moment, context determines which sense applies. Its flexibility makes it indispensable across journalism, art criticism, history, and everyday conversation about what is current.
Belonging to the present time; current or modern.
"The museum's new wing showcases contemporary sculpture."
In this sense 'contemporary' often overlaps with 'modern', though in art history 'Modernism' refers to a specific earlier period (roughly 1860s–1970s) distinct from 'contemporary' art.
Living or occurring at the same time as a specified person or event.
"A contemporary diary gives us a vivid picture of life during the plague years."
A person living or active at the same time as another; one's peers or equals from the same era.
"She was a contemporary of Picasso, though their paths rarely crossed."
Usually used with 'of': 'a contemporary of Shakespeare'.
The plural applies only when contemporary functions as a noun referring to people of the same period.
"Many of her contemporaries dismissed her early experiments as eccentric."
"Contemporary" comes from Latin roots meaning "with time" — literally someone who shares your moment in history.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contemporary
Contemporary entered English in the early 17th century, formed from the Latin elements 'con-' ('together with') and 'tempus' ('time'), via Medieval Latin 'contemporarius'. The same Latin root tempus gives English words such as temporal, temporary, and extemporaneous. Originally used chiefly of people living at the same time, it broadened over the centuries to describe anything belonging to the same period or, later, to the present day itself.
Related word forms
How contemporary is actually used
As an adjective, 'contemporary' can mean simply 'of the present day' (contemporary design) or 'of the same period as a reference point' (a contemporary account of the battle). In art and design contexts it often carries connotations of being fashionable or avant-garde. Note that in British English some speakers pronounce the ending '-rary' with an extra syllable (/rəri/), while American English typically uses /rɛri/ — both are accepted.
Easily confused with contemporary
'Contemporary' most often means belonging to the present time or describing people/living at the same period, while 'contemporaneous' is used almost exclusively of things (especially events or records) occurring at the same time.