con·tem·po·rar·y / kənˈtempəˌrerē/ • adj. 1. living or occurring at the same time: the event was recorded by a contemporary historian. ∎  dating from the same time: this series of paintings is contemporary with other works in an early style.2. belonging to or occurring in the present: the tension and complexities of our contemporary society. ∎  following modern ideas or fashion in style or design: contemporary art.• n. (pl. -rar·ies) a person or thing living or existing at the same time as another: he was a contemporary of Darwin. ∎  a person of roughly the same age as another: my contemporaries at school.DERIVATIVES: con·tem·po·rar·i·ly / kənˌtempəˈre(ə)rəlē/ adv.con·tem·po·rar·i·ness n.

contemporary XVII. — medL. contemporārius, f. CON- + tempus, tempor- time, after L. contemporāneus (whence contemporaneous XVII) and late L. contemporālis. See -ARY.