First Known Use: circa 1656
Dictionary
contemporaneous
adjective con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous \kən-ˌtem-pə-ˈrā-nē-əs\
: existing or happening during the same time period
Full Definition of CONTEMPORANEOUS
: existing, occurring, or originating during the same time
— con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous·ly adverb
— con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous·ness noun
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Origin of CONTEMPORANEOUS
Latin contemporaneus, from com- + tempor-, tempus time
Related to CONTEMPORANEOUS
Synonym Discussion of CONTEMPORANEOUS
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>.
Rhymes with CONTEMPORANEOUS
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