— recency, recentness , n. — recently , adv.
/ree"seuhnt/ , adj.
1. of late occurrence, appearance, or origin; lately happening, done, made, etc.: recent events; a recent trip.
2. not long past: in recent years.
3. of or belonging to a time not long past.
4. ( cap. ) Geol. noting or pertaining to the present epoch, originating at the end of the glacial period, about 10,000 years ago, and forming the latter half of the Quaternary Period; Holocene. See table under geologic time .
n.
5. Also called Holocene . ( cap. ) Geol. the Recent Epoch or Series.
[ 1525-35; recent- (s. of recens ) fresh, new ]
Syn. 1. fresh, new. See modern .
Ant. 1. early, old.