contemporary
gb/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi/ us/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi/
B1
English
~ 2100
kortárs, jelenkori, mai, egykorú, egy korban él, egyidejű
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is contemporary
The exhibition features contemporary art from around the world.
A kiállítás a világ minden tájáról származó kortárs művészetet mutat be.
Contemporary society faces many complex challenges.
A mai társadalom sok összetett kihívással néz szembe.
Her style is very contemporary, mixing minimalism with bold colors.
This novel offers a contemporary perspective on family life.
Learner examples
We saw a show of contemporary paintings.
Megnéztünk egy kortárs festményeket bemutató kiállítást.
He likes contemporary music.
Szereti a kortárs zenét.
This building has a contemporary design.
The book talks about contemporary life.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'contemporary' with 'temporary'; 'contemporary' means modern or current, not short-term.
Meaning
Happening or existing now
Collocations
contemporary art
|contemporary society
|contemporary culture
|contemporary music
Synonyms
modern (Often suggests current style or technology; may carry a more positive or fashionable connotation.)
|
current (Focuses on being up-to-date or happening now, without stylistic implications.)
Antonyms
traditional (Refers to styles, ideas, or practices from the past that are maintained rather than modernized.)
Themes
time
|culture
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Happening or existing now or in recent times.
Happening, existing, or living at the same time as the present period.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[something] is contemporary with [something else]
Shakespeare was a contemporary of Cervantes.
Shakespeare Cervantesszel egy korban élt.
These events were contemporary with the early years of the republic.
Ezek az események a köztársaság korai éveivel egy időben zajlottak.
Contemporary records show that the city was thriving in the 18th century.
Learner examples
Einstein was a contemporary of Picasso.
Einstein Picassóval egy korban élt.
This building is contemporary with that one.
Ez az épület egykorú azzal.
She was a contemporary of my grandfather.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'modern', but here it refers to two things happening in the same period, not necessarily now.
Meaning
Existing at the same time
Collocations
contemporary with
|contemporary accounts
|contemporary records
Synonyms
coexistent (Technical term meaning existing at the same time; less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
nonconcurrent (Not occurring at the same time.)
Themes
time
|history
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Happening or living at the same time as another thing or person.
Happening, existing, or living during the same period as another person or thing.
NOUN
B2
3
kortárs
B2
Mozart and Beethoven were contemporaries.
Mozart és Beethoven kortársak voltak.
Many of his contemporaries admired his work.
Sok kortársa csodálta a munkásságát.
She was a contemporary of several famous poets.
Learner examples
Shakespeare and Cervantes were contemporaries.
Shakespeare és Cervantes kortársak voltak.
He was a contemporary of my father.
Apám kortársa volt.
Einstein and Curie were contemporaries.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'contemporary' as a noun with its adjective form; here it specifically means a person from the same time period.
Meaning
Person from the same time period
Collocations
a contemporary of [someone]
|famous contemporaries
Synonyms
peer (Can mean someone of the same age or status, not necessarily from the exact same historical period.)
Antonyms
predecessor (Someone who lived before another person in time or held a position earlier.)
Themes
time
|people
|relationships
Definition
A person who lives at the same time as someone else.
A person who lives or lived during the same time as another person.
Grammar
Dictionary form
contemporary
IPA
GB/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi/
US/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi/
Syllables & stress
con - tem - por - ary (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tem)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: contemporary
Noun
- Base: contemporary
- Plural: contemporaries
Word family
Forms
contemporaries
noun
Advanced or less common
contemporaneous
adjective
Expressions
contemporary art
1/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi ˈɑɹt/
fixed phrase
Art created in recent times
Art made by artists working today or in recent years.
Examples
- The museum specializes in contemporary art from Asia.
- She collects contemporary art for her gallery.
contemporary dance
1/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi dˈæns/
fixed phrase
Modern expressive dance style
A style of dance that is modern and often mixes different dance forms.
Examples
- He is studying contemporary dance at the academy.
- Contemporary dance often combines ballet and modern techniques.
contemporary society
1/kəntˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi səsˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
Modern-day society
The people and culture that exist today.
Examples
- Contemporary society faces challenges like climate change.
- Technology plays a big role in contemporary society.