Modern English

American

noun

the English language since c1475.

Modern English British

noun

the English language since about 1450, esp any of the standard forms developed from the S East Midland dialect of Middle English See also English Middle English Old English

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s got Old English on one side and Modern English on the other, you should check it out.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 3, 2023

According to "Fowler's Modern English Usage," there should be, in this case, no comma after "Militia" because what we see in the amendment is an instance of something called "absolute construction."

From Salon • Oct. 25, 2020

Oliver, whose death was announced on Sunday, crafted abstract, Dada-esque record covers for dozens of bands including the Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Modern English, the Breeders and His Name is Alive.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2019

And finally a quibble: the popular kids wouldn't have been listening to Modern English.

From New York Times • Jul. 29, 2016

Specimens of Anglo-Saxon, and the same literally translated into Modern English.

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023