co-temporary

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person living at the same time as another: "co-temporary" refers to an individual who exists or lives during the same historical period as another person.
   • A person of the same age: It can also denote someone who is approximately the same age as another.

2. Adjective:

   • Existing or occurring at the same time: "co-temporary" describes things, events, or people that belong to the same period or era.
   • Modern or current in a historical context: It can mean belonging to the present time, especially in historical studies, though this usage is now rare.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Shakespeare's co-temporaries included playwrights like Christopher Marlowe. (People who lived during the same time as Shakespeare.)
  • My grandfather was a co-temporary of the famous scientist, though they never met. (A person of the same age or era.)

• Adjective:

  • The co-temporary documents from the 18th century provide valuable insights. (Documents that were written during the same time period.)
  • Her co-temporary writings reflect the social issues of her era. (Works produced at the same time as other events.)

Advanced Usage

• "co-temporary with": used to indicate simultaneous existence or occurrence.

  • The invention of the printing press was co-temporary with the Renaissance. (Both events happened in the same historical period.)

• "a co-temporary of": used to specify a person living at the same time as another.

  • He was a co-temporary of the famous painter, but their styles differed greatly. (He lived during the same era as the painter.)

Variants and Related Words

• Contemporary (adj/n): the more common spelling of "co-temporary", meaning the same thing.

  • Modern art is often compared to contemporary works from other cultures. (Works from the same time period.)

• Contemporaneous (adj): existing or occurring at the same time (often used for events rather than people).

  • The two revolutions were contemporaneous, though they occurred in different countries. (They happened simultaneously.)

Synonyms

• Coeval: existing at the same time (formal).

  • The two empires were coeval, rising and falling together. (They existed in the same era.)

• Synchronous: happening at the same time.

  • The synchronous events were carefully coordinated. (Events occurring simultaneously.)

• Peer: a person of the same age or status.

  • He discussed ideas with his peers. (People of the same age or position.)

Related Idioms

• Of the same vintage: belonging to the same period or generation.

  • These manuscripts are of the same vintage as the ancient scrolls. (From the same time.)

• In one's own time: referring to the period when someone was alive.

  • In his own time, the writer was considered a genius. (During the era he lived.)

Note on Spelling

The word "co-temporary" is a less common variant of "contemporary". Both spellings are correct, but "contemporary" is far more widely used in modern English. "Co-temporary" may appear in older texts or as a stylistic choice.