modern

[ mod-ern ]

adjective

1. of or relating to present and recent time; not ancient or remote:

   modern city life.

2. characteristic of present and recent time; contemporary; not antiquated or obsolete:

   modern viewpoints.

3. of or relating to the historical period following the Middle Ages:

   modern European history.

4. of, relating to, or characteristic of contemporary styles of art, literature, music, etc., that reject traditionally accepted or sanctioned forms and emphasize individual experimentation and sensibility.
5. (initial capital letter) new ( def 12 ).
6. Typography. noting or descriptive of a font of numerals in which the body aligns on the baseline, as 1234567890. Compare old style ( def 3 ).

noun

1. a person of modern times.
2. a person whose views and tastes are modern.
3. Printing. a type style differentiated from old style by heavy vertical strokes and straight serifs.

modern

/ ˈmɒdən /

adjective

1. of, involving, or befitting the present or a recent time; contemporary
2. of, relating to, or characteristic of contemporary styles or schools of art, literature, music, etc, esp those of an experimental kind
3. belonging or relating to the period in history from the end of the Middle Ages to the present

noun

1. a contemporary person
2. printing a type style that originated around the beginning of the 19th century, characterized chiefly by marked contrast between thick and thin strokes Compare old face

Derived Forms

• ˈmodernness, noun
• ˈmodernly, adverb

Other Words From

• modern·ly adverb
• modern·ness noun
• anti·modern adjective noun
• anti·modern·ly adverb
• anti·modern·ness noun
• hyper·modern adjective
• non·modern adjective noun
• non·modern·ly adverb
• non·modern·ness noun
• pre·modern adjective
• pro·modern adjective
• pseudo·modern adjective
• quasi-modern adjective
• super·modern adjective
• un·modern adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of modern¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Middle French moderne, from Late Latin modernus, equivalent to Latin mod(o), mod(ō), “lately, just now” (originally ablative singular of modus mode ¹ ) + -ernus, adjective suffix of time

Word History and Origins

Origin of modern¹

C16: from Old French, from Late Latin modernus, from modō (adv) just recently, from modus mode

Synonym Study

Modern, recent, late apply to that which is near to or characteristic of the present as contrasted with any other time. Modern is applied to those things that exist in the present age, especially in contrast to those of a former age or an age long past; hence the word sometimes has the connotation of up-to-date and, thus, good: modern ideas. That which is recent is separated from the present or the time of action by only a short interval; it is new, fresh, and novel: recent developments. Late may mean nearest to the present moment: the late reports on the battle.

Example Sentences

We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.

From The Daily Beast

The number of dissenters though is unprecedented in the modern era.

From The Daily Beast

“I got the weaver to use his craftsmanship on modern silhouettes we designed,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

The End of Gangs By Sam Quinones, Pacific-Standard Los Angeles gave America the modern street gang.

From The Daily Beast

I like to think of Shooters as Sodom and Gomorrah, reimagined for the modern world.

From The Daily Beast

The east window in this church has been classed as the A1 of modern painted windows.

From Project Gutenberg

The pipe has a modern look and is altogether unlike those found by the English in use among the Indians in Virginia.

From Project Gutenberg

But don't go hunting after them, there are still modern Immortals in the darkness of a forgotten language.

From Project Gutenberg

She has embodied in her work a modern comprehension of old legends.

From Project Gutenberg

And this college course I have sketched should, in the modern state, pass insensibly into adult mental activities.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• contemporary
• current
• modernized
• present-day
• state-of-the-art
• stylish