recent
[ree-suh nt]
- of late occurrence, appearance, or origin; lately happening, done, made, etc.: recent events; a recent trip.
- not long past: in recent years.
- of or belonging to a time not long past.
- (initial capital letter) Geology. noting or pertaining to the present epoch, originating at the end of the glacial period, about 10,000 years ago, and forming the latter half of the Quaternary Period; Holocene.
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- Also called Holocene. (initial capital letter) Geology. the Recent Epoch or Series.
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Origin of recent
1525–35; < Latin recent- (stem of recēns) fresh, new
Synonyms
See more synonyms for recent on Thesaurus.com1. fresh, new. See modern.
Antonyms
1. early, old.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for recently
Contemporary Examples
But he told me recently that Malia would do my impression of him to him.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s GreatnessMarlow Stern
January 7, 2015
I just recently rewatched all six Star Wars movies the other day… Oh wow, from the beginning?
This is the Mexico that has been called a “failed state” — most recently by Jose “Pepe” Mujica, the president of Uruguay.
Recently, historians have been working hard to write books that are more accessible.
Antoine himself had recently been arrested on a six-year-old warrant for a dime bag of weed.
Historical Examples
There was Kekwick, and more recently poor McKinlay--all gone to their last account.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
A candle had recently been lighted, and it stood on the table near this man.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
All these, then recently installed, are mentioned by Rouquet.
De Libris: Prose and VerseAustin Dobson
Recently so many things had arisen to distract her attention.
Her Father's DaughterGene Stratton-Porter
Hinde had recently been appointed editor of the Evening Herald.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
recent
- having appeared, happened, or been made not long ago; modern, fresh, or new
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin recens fresh; related to Greek kainos new
Recent
- geology another word for Holocene
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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
Word Origin and History for recently
recent
adj.
early 15c., from Latin recentem (nominative recens) "lately done or made, new, fresh, young," from re- (see re-) + PIE root *ken- "fresh, new, young" (cf. Greek kainos "new;" Sanskrit kanina- "young;" Old Irish cetu- "first;" Old Church Slavonic načino "to begin," koni "beginning"). Related: Recently; recentness (1670s, but OED reports recency (1610s) was "Common in 19th c.").
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Recent
[rē′sənt]
- See Holocene.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.