Contemporariness

/kənˈtɛmpərɛrinəs/ noun

Definition

The quality of being contemporary; the state of belonging to or reflecting the current time period.

Etymology

From 'contemporary' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness.' This is an older variant for expressing the abstract concept, now largely superseded by 'contemporaneity.'

Kelly Says

This word shows English's tendency to keep old vocabulary around even when newer, fancier alternatives emerge—'contemporariness' still works perfectly, but scholars often choose the longer 'contemporaneity' instead.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.