n.
Pronunciation: k ə n- ' tem-p ə - ˌ rer- ē , - ˌ re-r ē
Function: adjective
Etymology: com- + Latin tempor-, tempus
Date: 1631
1 : happening, existing, living, or coming into being during the same period of time
2 a : SIMULTANEOUS b : marked by characteristics of the present period : MODERN , CURRENT
– con · tem · po · rar · i · ly \ - ˌ tem-p ə - ' rer- ə -l ē \ adverb
synonyms CONTEMPORARY , CONTEMPORANEOUS , COEVAL , SYNCHRONOUS , SIMULTANEOUS , COINCIDENT mean existing or occurring at the same time. CONTEMPORARY is likely to apply to people and what relates to them <Abraham Lincoln was contemporary with Charles Darwin>. CONTEMPORANEOUS is more often applied to events than to people < contemporaneous accounts of the kidnapping>. COEVAL refers usually to periods, ages, eras, eons <two stars thought to be coeval >. SYNCHRONOUS implies exact correspondence in time and especially in periodic intervals < synchronous timepieces>. SIMULTANEOUS implies correspondence in a moment of time <the two shots were simultaneous >. COINCIDENT is applied to events and may be used in order to avoid implication of causal relationship <the end of World War II was coincident with a great vintage year>.