Contemporaneity

/kənˌtɛmpərəˈneɪɪti/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being contemporary; the fact of existing or happening at the same time as something else.

Etymology

From 'contemporaneous' plus the suffix '-ity,' which forms abstract nouns. Scholars use this term when they need to discuss the abstract concept of simultaneity or shared time periods.

Kelly Says

This noun is a favorite of academic historians who need a fancy way to say 'happening at the same time'—it sounds more authoritative than the simpler alternative, which might be why it's mainly found in scholarly papers.

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