contemporary is on the Academic Word List.

Pronunciation change

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

Adjective change

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".
    The artist has a great knowledge of the sources of historical and contemporary art.
  2. If   is contemporary with  , they happened at about the same time.
    They are sources that are contemporary or near contemporary with the period being studied.

Noun change

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.