English word modern comes from Latin modus, and later Latin modo (Just, only. Presently. Recently, just now.)
Detailed word origin of modern
Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
---|---|---|
modus | Latin (lat) | (grammar) mood, mode. Bound, limit. Manner, method, way. Measure. |
modo | Latin (lat) | Just, only. Presently. Recently, just now. |
modernus | Late Latin (LL) | |
moderne | Middle French (ca. 1400-1600) (frm) | Modern; current; contemporary. |
modern | English (eng) | (history) Pertaining to the modern period (c.1800 to contemporary times), particularly in academic historiography.. Pertaining to a current or recent time and style; not ancient. Someone who lives in modern times.. The modern time. |
Words with the same origin as modern
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle French moderne, from Late Latin modernus; from Latin modo (“just now”), originally ablative of modus (“measure”); hence, by measure, «just now». See also mode.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈmɒd(ə)n/
- (General American) enPR: mŏdʹərn, IPA(key): /ˈmɑdɚn/
- Rhymes: -ɒdə(ɹ)n
- Hyphenation: mod‧ern
Adjective[edit]
modern (comparative moderner or more modern, superlative modernest or most modern)
- Pertaining to a current or recent time and style; not ancient.
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Our online interactive game is a modern approach to teaching about gum disease. Although it was built in the 1600s, the building still has a very modern look.
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1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
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But then I had the flintlock by me for protection. ¶ There were giants in the days when that gun was made; for surely no modern mortal could have held that mass of metal steady to his shoulder. The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window […].
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- 2018, Timothy Snyder, «How Did the Nazis Gain Power in Germany?», The New York Times, June 14, 2018
- In fact, he had created the conditions for the great horror of modern times.
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2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 55:
-
The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.
-
-
- (history) Pertaining to the modern period (c.1800 to contemporary times), particularly in academic historiography.
Synonyms[edit]
- (pertaining to current or recent time): contemporary, current; see also Thesaurus:present
Antonyms[edit]
- (pertaining to current or recent time): ancient, dated, former, historical, old, old-fashioned
- (pertaining to the modern period): premodern
Derived terms[edit]
- antimodern
- early modern
- modern algebra
- modern antique
- modern apprenticeship
- modern art
- modern convenience
- modern dance
- Modern English
- modern first
- Modern French
- modern greats
- Modern Greek
- Modern Hebrew
- Modern Japanese
- modern jazz
- Modern Korean
- modern language
- modern pentathlon
- modern physics
- Modern Portuguese
- modern school
- modern sequence dancing
- Modern Standard Arabic
- modern-day
- moderner
- modernise, modernize
- modernism
- modernista
- modernity
- modernly
- modernness
- non-modern, nonmodern
- post-modern, postmodern
- postpostmodern
- premodern
- prepostmodern
- secondary modern, secondary modern school
- transmodern
- ultra-modern, ultramodern
- unmodern
[edit]
- moderne
- Modernisme
- modernus
Translations[edit]
pertaining to the current time and style
- Arabic: عَصْرِيّ (ʕaṣriyy), حَدِيث (ḥadīṯ), مُعَاصِر (ar) (muʕāṣir)
- Armenian: ժամանակակից (hy) (žamanakakicʿ), արդիական (hy) (ardiakan)
- Asturian: modernu
- Belarusian: суча́сны (sučásny)
- Bengali: আধুনিক (bn) (adhunik)
- Bulgarian: моде́рен (bg) (modéren), съвреме́нен (bg) (sǎvreménen)
- Catalan: modern (ca) m
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 現代的/现代的 (zh) (xiàndài de), 摩登 (zh) (módēng), 近代的 (zh) (jìndài de)
- Czech: moderní (cs), současný (cs)
- Danish: moderne (da)
- Dutch: modern (nl), eigentijds (nl), hedendaags (nl), nieuwerwets (nl)
- Esperanto: moderna
- Finnish: moderni (fi), nykyaikainen (fi), uudenaikainen (fi)
- French: moderne (fr)
- Galician: moderno (gl)
- Georgian: თანამედროვე (tanamedrove)
- German: modern (de)
- Greek: μοντέρνος (el) m (montérnos), σύγχρονος (el) m (sýnchronos)
- Haitian Creole: modèn
- Hebrew: מוֹדֶרְנִי m (moderní)
- Hungarian: modern (hu)
- Icelandic: nútímalegur (is)
- Ido: moderna (io)
- Indonesian: modern (id), mutakhir (id)
- Irish: nua-aoiseach, nua-aimseartha
- Italian: moderno (it)
- Japanese: モダンな (modan na), 近代的 (ja) (きんだいてき, kindaiteki), 現代的 (ja) ((げんだいてき, gendaiteki)
- Kazakh: модернистік (modernistık)
- Khmer: ទំនើប (km) (tumnəəp), សម័យថ្មី (sa’may tməy)
- Korean: 현대의 (ko) (hyeondae’ui)
- Kyrgyz: заманбап (ky) (zamanbap)
- Latvian: moderns
- Macedonian: модерен (moderen), современ (sovremen)
- Norman: modèrne m or f
- Norwegian: moderne (no)
- Oriya: ଆଧୁନିକ (adhunikô)
- Persian: مدرن (fa) (modern)
- Plautdietsch: niemootsch
- Polish: nowoczesny (pl), współczesny (pl)
- Portuguese: moderno (pt)
- Russian: совреме́нный (ru) (sovreménnyj)
- Scottish Gaelic: nodha, ùr-nodha
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: модеран, савремен
- Roman: moderan (sh), savremen (sh)
- Slovak: moderný (sk), súčasný (sk)
- Slovene: moderen, sodoben (sl)
- Sorbian:
- Lower Sorbian: moderny
- Spanish: moderno (es)
- Tagalog: moderno
- Swedish: modern (sv), nutida (sv)
- Telugu: ఆధునికం (te) (ādhunikaṁ)
- Turkish: çağdaş (tr), modern (tr), muasır (tr) (archaic), çağcıl (tr)
- Ukrainian: суча́сний (sučásnyj)
- Vietnamese: hiện đại (vi)
- Volapük: nulädik (vo)
- Yiddish: מאָדערן (modern)
pertaining to history from c. 1800 onwards
- Danish: moderne (da)
- Finnish: moderni (fi)
- French: moderne (fr)
- Greek: νεώτερος (el) m (neóteros)
- Russian: совреме́нный (ru) (sovreménnyj)
- Swedish: modern (sv)
- Tagalog: moderno
Noun[edit]
modern (plural moderns)
- Someone who lives in modern times.
-
- The only supernatural agents which can in any manner be allowed to us moderns, are ghosts; but of these I would advise an author to be extremely sparing.
- 1779, Edward Capell, John Collins, Notes and various readings to Shakespeare
- What the moderns could mean by their suppression of the final couplet’s repeatings, cannot be conceiv’d […]
- 1930, G. K. Chesterton, The Resurrection of Rome
- They at least had the immense and mighty imagination of which I speak; they could unthink the past. They could uncreate the Fall. With a reverence which moderns might think impudence, they could uncreate the Creation.
- 1956, John Albert Wilson, The Culture of Ancient Egypt (page 144)
- Even though we moderns can never crawl inside the skin of the ancient and think and feel as he did […] we must as historians make the attempt.
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1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 181:
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Yeats understood these ancient mysteries better than any modern.
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-
References[edit]
- Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “modern”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- modern at OneLook Dictionary Search
- modern in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
- «modern» in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 208.
- “modern”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- modern in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Anagrams[edit]
- Morden, Redmon, morned, nerdom, normed, rodmen
Catalan[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Latin modernus.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Balearic, Valencian) IPA(key): /moˈdɛɾn/
- (Central) IPA(key): /muˈdɛrn/
Adjective[edit]
modern (feminine moderna, masculine plural moderns, feminine plural modernes)
- modern
Derived terms[edit]
- grec modern
- modernament
- modernisme
- modernista
- modernitat
- modernitzar
Further reading[edit]
- “modern” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “modern”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
- “modern” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “modern” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Dutch[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Middle French moderne, from Latin modernus.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /moːˈdɛrn/
- Hyphenation: mo‧dern
- Rhymes: -ɛrn
Adjective[edit]
modern (comparative moderner, superlative modernst)
- modern
- (historical, Protestantism) modernist
- Synonym: modernistisch
Inflection[edit]
Inflection of modern | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | modern | |||
inflected | moderne | |||
comparative | moderner | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | modern | moderner | het modernst het modernste |
|
indefinite | m./f. sing. | moderne | modernere | modernste |
n. sing. | modern | moderner | modernste | |
plural | moderne | modernere | modernste | |
definite | moderne | modernere | modernste | |
partitive | moderns | moderners | — |
Derived terms[edit]
- hypermodern
- moderniseren
- modernisme, modernist, moderniste
- moderniteit
- postmodern, postmodernisme, postmodernist, postmoderniste
Descendants[edit]
- → Indonesian: modern
- → Papiamentu: modern (dated)
German[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From Moder (“moldiness”).
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ˈmoːdɐn/
- Rhymes: -ɛʁn
Verb[edit]
modern (weak, third-person singular present modert, past tense moderte, past participle gemodert, auxiliary haben)
- to rot, to molder
Conjugation[edit]
Composed forms of modern (weak, auxiliary haben)
Etymology 2[edit]
From French moderne, from Latin modernus.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /moˈdɛʁn/
Adjective[edit]
modern (strong nominative masculine singular moderner, comparative moderner, superlative am modernsten)
- modern
- state-of-the-art
Declension[edit]
Comparative forms of modern
Superlative forms of modern
Derived terms[edit]
- Modernismus
Further reading[edit]
- “modern (Verb)” in Duden online
- “modern (Adjektiv)” in Duden online
- “modern” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Hungarian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From English modern and German modern, from French moderne, from Medieval Latin modernus.[1]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): [ˈmodɛrn]
- Hyphenation: mo‧dern
- Rhymes: -ɛrn
Adjective[edit]
modern (comparative modernebb, superlative legmodernebb)
- modern
- Synonym: korszerű
Declension[edit]
Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony) | ||
---|---|---|
singular | plural | |
nominative | modern | modernek |
accusative | modernet | moderneket |
dative | modernnek | moderneknek |
instrumental | modernnel | modernekkel |
causal-final | modernért | modernekért |
translative | modernné | modernekké |
terminative | modernig | modernekig |
essive-formal | modernként | modernekként |
essive-modal | — | — |
inessive | modernben | modernekben |
superessive | modernen | moderneken |
adessive | modernnél | moderneknél |
illative | modernbe | modernekbe |
sublative | modernre | modernekre |
allative | modernhez | modernekhez |
elative | modernből | modernekből |
delative | modernről | modernekről |
ablative | moderntől | modernektől |
non-attributive possessive — singular |
moderné | moderneké |
non-attributive possessive — plural |
modernéi | modernekéi |
References[edit]
- ^ Tótfalusi, István. Idegenszó-tár: Idegen szavak értelmező és etimológiai szótára (’A Storehouse of Foreign Words: an explanatory and etymological dictionary of foreign words’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2005. →ISBN
Further reading[edit]
- modern in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
Hunsrik[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /moˈtɛn/
Adjective[edit]
modern
- modern
Declension[edit]
Declension of modern | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | plural | ||
Weak inflection | nominative | modern | modern | modern | moderne |
accusative | moderne | modern | modern | moderne | |
dative | moderne | moderne | moderne | moderne | |
Strong inflection | nominative | moderner | moderne | modernes | moderne |
accusative | moderne | moderne | modernes | moderne | |
dative | modernem | moderner | modernem | moderne |
Further reading[edit]
- Online Hunsrik Dictionary
Indonesian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Dutch modern, from Middle French moderne, from Latin modernus, from modo (“just now”), originally ablative of modus (“measure”); hence, by measure, «just now». Doublet of mode, model, modul, and modus.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): [moˈdɛr(ə̆)n]
- Hyphenation: mo‧dèrn
Adjective[edit]
modèrn
- modern.
- Synonyms: terbaru, mutakhir
Noun[edit]
modèrn (first-person possessive modernku, second-person possessive modernmu, third-person possessive modernnya)
- modern.
Alternative forms[edit]
- moden (Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore)
- moderen (nonstandard Indonesian)
Derived terms[edit]
- kemodernan
- memodernkan
- pemodernan
- termodern
[edit]
- mode
- model
- modernisme
- modernitas
- modis
- modul
- modulasi
- modus
Further reading[edit]
- “modern” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.
Romanian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From French moderne.
Adjective[edit]
modern m or n (feminine singular modernă, masculine plural moderni, feminine and neuter plural moderne)
- modern
Declension[edit]
Swedish[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
From French moderne, from Late Latin modernus.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
modern (comparative modernare, superlative modernast)
- modern
- in fashion
Declension[edit]
Inflection of modern | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | modern | modernare | modernast |
Neuter singular | modernt | modernare | modernast |
Plural | moderna | modernare | modernast |
Masculine plural3 | moderne | modernare | modernast |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | moderne | modernare | modernaste |
All | moderna | modernare | modernaste |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
Antonyms[edit]
- omodern
[edit]
- modernisera
- modernism
- modernistisk
Etymology 2[edit]
See the etymology of moder.
Noun[edit]
modern
- definite singular of moder.
- definite singular of mor.
Anagrams[edit]
- morden
Turkish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From French moderne
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /moˈdæɾn/
Adjective[edit]
modern
- modern
Declension[edit]
predicative forms of modern
present tense | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative |
|
ben (I am) | modernim | modern miyim? | modern değilim | modern değil miyim? |
sen (you are) | modernsin | modern misin? | modern değilsin | modern değil misin? |
o (he/she/it is) | modern / moderndir | modern mi? | modern değil | modern değil mi? |
biz (we are) | moderniz | modern miyiz? | modern değiliz | modern değil miyiz? |
siz (you are) | modernsiniz | modern misiniz? | modern değilsiniz | modern değil misiniz? |
onlar (they are) | modern(ler) | modern(ler) mi? | modern değil(ler) | modern değiller mi? |
past tense | ||||
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative |
|
ben (I was) | moderndim | modern miydim? | modern değildim | modern değil miydim? |
sen (you were) | moderndin | modern miydin? | modern değildin | modern değil miydin? |
o (he/she/it was) | moderndi | modern miydi? | modern değildi | modern değil miydi? |
biz (we were) | moderndik | modern miydik? | modern değildik | modern değil miydik? |
siz (you were) | moderndiniz | modern miydiniz? | modern değildiniz | modern değil miydiniz? |
onlar (they were) | moderndiler | modern miydiler? | modern değildi(ler) / değillerdi | modern değil miydiler? |
indirect past | ||||
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative |
|
ben (I was) | modernmişim | modern miymişim? | modern değilmişim | modern değil miymişim? |
sen (you were) | modernmişsin | modern miymişsin? | modern değilmişsin | modern değil miymişsin? |
o (he/she/it was) | modernmiş | modern miymiş? | modern değilmiş | modern değil miymiş? |
biz (we were) | modernmişiz | modern miymişiz? | modern değilmişiz | modern değil miymişiz? |
siz (you were) | modernmişsiniz | modern miymişsiniz? | modern değilmişsiniz | modern değil miymişsiniz? |
onlar (they were) | modernmişler | modern miymişler? | modern değilmiş(ler) / değillermiş | modern değil miymişler? |
conditional | ||||
positive, declarative |
positive, interrogative |
negative, declarative |
negative, interrogative |
|
ben (if I) | modernsem | modern miysem? | modern değilsem | modern değil miysem? |
sen (if you) | modernsen | modern miysen? | modern değilsen | modern değil miysen? |
o (if he/she/it) | modernse | modern miyse? | modern değilse | modern değil miyse? |
biz (if we) | modernsek | modern miysek? | modern değilsek | modern değil miysek? |
siz (if you) | modernseniz | modern miyseniz? | modern değilseniz | modern değil miyseniz? |
onlar (if they) | modernseler | modern miyseler? | modern değilseler / değillerse | modern değil miyseler? |
- Top Definitions
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
adjective
of or relating to present and recent time; not ancient or remote: modern city life.
characteristic of present and recent time; contemporary; not antiquated or obsolete: modern viewpoints.
of or relating to the historical period following the Middle Ages: modern European history.
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.
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
a person of modern times.
a person whose views and tastes are modern.
Printing. a type style differentiated from old style by heavy vertical strokes and straight serifs.
QUIZ
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Which sentence is correct?
Origin of modern
1490–1500; from Middle French moderne, from Late Latin modernus, equivalent to Latin mod(o), mod(ō), “lately, just now” (originally ablative singular of modusmode1) + -ernus adjective suffix of time
synonym study for modern
1. 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.
OTHER WORDS FROM modern
mod·ern·ly, adverbmod·ern·ness, nounan·ti·mod·ern, adjective, nounan·ti·mod·ern·ly, adverb
an·ti·mod·ern·ness, nounhy·per·mod·ern, adjectivenon·mod·ern, adjective, nounnon·mod·ern·ly, adverbnon·mod·ern·ness, nounpre·mod·ern, adjectivepro·mod·ern, adjectivepseu·do·mod·ern, adjectivequasi-modern, adjectivesu·per·mod·ern, adjectiveun·mod·ern, adjective
Words nearby modern
moderation, moderationist, Moderations, moderato, moderator, modern, modern apprenticeship, modern art, modern cut, modern dance, moderne
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT MODERN
What does modern mean?
Modern means relating to the present time, as in modern life. It also means up-to-date and not old, as in modern technology.
Apart from these general senses, modern is often used in a more specific way to refer to the current historical period. Even more specifically, it refers to a style or movement in the arts developed during the 1900s and characterized by innovation and experimentation that broke from past traditions. Such art is often described as belonging to the movement of modernism (which is sometimes capitalized).
Modern can sometimes be used as a noun referring to a person in modern times, as in The worldviews of ancients and moderns are very different, but this is uncommon.
Example: Many people are overwhelmed by the fast pace of the modern workplace.
Where does modern come from?
In history, though, the modern era is the period from the end of the Middle Ages to the present. In that sense, modern is technically a modern word—the first records of it come from the late 1400s. It comes from the Latin modernus, from modō, meaning “just recently.”
Most of the time, modern simply refers to something related to the present or recent past, as opposed to the past or the distant past. In this sense, it is especially used in phrases like modern life and modern times. Our modern life involves modern technology and modern conveniences—meaning the latest stuff.
In its more specific use to refer to things involved with the modernist art movement, modern can be applied to works in many different art forms, including painting, literature, architecture, and others. The collections of modern art museums often feature items from the late 1800s and later. When art is described as postmodern, it doesn’t mean it’s somehow from the future. It means it belongs to a movement or style characterized by a rejection of modernism, not modernness or modernity.
Did you know … ?
How is modern used in real life?
Modern is commonly used to describe current or contemporary things—the things we interact with in the present. Its meaning in reference to art is more specifically related to the modernist movement.
As technology increases your modern conveniences, it becomes increasingly obvious that it’s not for your convenience after all.
— Michael Perrone (@michaelperrone) March 31, 2020
People who dont have Twitter dont have a modern sense of humor
— mullet girl (@ilove_peaches) September 2, 2019
‘The Black Square’ was painted by Kazimir Malevich in 1915 ⬛️
Here are a few pieces of artwork some of our Pre-Prep children created today inspired by this piece of modern art 🖌🎨 #InspiringMinds pic.twitter.com/XTgxYQvrCE— AshfordPrepClasses (@PrepClasses) March 23, 2020
Try using modern!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of modern?
A. current
B. outdated
C. newfangled
D. contemporary
Words related to modern
contemporary, current, modernized, present-day, state-of-the-art, stylish, avant-garde, concomitant, latest, novel, now, present, recent, today, coincident, concurrent, contempo, cutting edge, fresh, futuristic
How to use modern in a sentence
-
To modern workers everywhere,To modern workers everywhere,First came email.
-
In other words, Brady’s career is hiding not one but two of the top 20 quarterbacks in modern history inside of it!
-
While Zeta is entering the market as a tool for couples, Shekar sees the startup’s moonshot as being the go-to operational account for any modern household.
-
It’s a timely notion as the modern world reckons with who gets to tell the stories of its diverse populations.
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Meanwhile, Deuteronilus Mensae is home to modern-day glaciers, and exists between cratered highlands to the south and low plains to the north.
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We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.
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The number of dissenters though is unprecedented in the modern era.
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“I got the weaver to use his craftsmanship on modern silhouettes we designed,” he said.
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The End of Gangs By Sam Quinones, Pacific-Standard Los Angeles gave America the modern street gang.
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I like to think of Shooters as Sodom and Gomorrah, reimagined for the modern world.
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The east window in this church has been classed as the A1 of modern painted windows.
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The pipe has a modern look and is altogether unlike those found by the English in use among the Indians in Virginia.
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But don’t go hunting after them, there are still modern Immortals in the darkness of a forgotten language.
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She has embodied in her work a modern comprehension of old legends.
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And this college course I have sketched should, in the modern state, pass insensibly into adult mental activities.
British Dictionary definitions for modern
adjective
of, involving, or befitting the present or a recent time; contemporary
of, relating to, or characteristic of contemporary styles or schools of art, literature, music, etc, esp those of an experimental kind
belonging or relating to the period in history from the end of the Middle Ages to the present
noun
a contemporary person
printing a type style that originated around the beginning of the 19th century, characterized chiefly by marked contrast between thick and thin strokesCompare old face
Derived forms of modern
modernly, adverbmodernness, noun
Word Origin for modern
C16: from Old French, from Late Latin modernus, from modō (adv) just recently, from modus mode
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
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I like to have Chinese furniture in my home as a constant and painful reminder of how much has been destroyed in China. The contrast between the beauty of the past and the ugliness of the modern is nowhere sharper than in China.
Jung Chang
ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD MODERN
From Old French, from Late Latin modernus, from modō (adv) just recently, from modusmode.
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
PRONUNCIATION OF MODERN
GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF MODERN
Modern can act as a noun and an adjective.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.
WHAT DOES MODERN MEAN IN ENGLISH?
Modern
Modern generally denotes something that is «up-to-date», «new», or contemporary. It may refer to: in history ▪ Modern history ▪ ▪ Early Modern period ▪ Late Modern period ▪ 18th century ▪ 19th century ▪ 20th century ▪ Contemporary history in philosophy and sociology ▪ Modernity, a loosely defined concept delineating a number of societal, economic and ideological features that contrast with «pre-modern» times or societies ▪ Late modernity in art ▪ Modernism ▪ Modernist poetry ▪ Modern art, a form of art ▪ Modern dance, a dance form developed in the early 20th century ▪ Modern architecture, a broad movement and period in architectural history ▪ Modern music as a proper name ▪ Modern, an album from the British punk rock band, Buzzcocks ▪ Modern Records, a Los Angeles record label ▪ Modern, a raster font packaged with Windows XP ▪ Another name for the typeface classification known as Didone ▪ Modern, a generic font family name for fixed-pitch serif and sans serif fonts, used e.g.
Definition of modern in the English dictionary
The first definition of modern in the dictionary is of, involving, or befitting the present or a recent time; contemporary. Other definition of modern is of, relating to, or characteristic of contemporary styles or schools of art, literature, music, etc, esp those of an experimental kind. Modern is also belonging or relating to the period in history from the end of the Middle Ages to the present.
WORDS THAT RHYME WITH MODERN
Synonyms and antonyms of modern in the English dictionary of synonyms
SYNONYMS OF «MODERN»
The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «modern» and belong to the same grammatical category.
Translation of «modern» into 25 languages
TRANSLATION OF MODERN
Find out the translation of modern to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of modern from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «modern» in English.
Translator English — Chinese
现代的
1,325 millions of speakers
Translator English — Spanish
moderno
570 millions of speakers
English
modern
510 millions of speakers
Translator English — Hindi
आधुनिक
380 millions of speakers
Translator English — Arabic
عَصْرِيٌّ
280 millions of speakers
Translator English — Russian
современный
278 millions of speakers
Translator English — Portuguese
moderno
270 millions of speakers
Translator English — Bengali
আধুনিক
260 millions of speakers
Translator English — French
moderne
220 millions of speakers
Translator English — Malay
moden
190 millions of speakers
Translator English — German
modern
180 millions of speakers
Translator English — Japanese
現代の
130 millions of speakers
Translator English — Korean
현대의
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Javanese
Modern
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Vietnamese
hiện đại
80 millions of speakers
Translator English — Tamil
நவீன
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Marathi
आधुनिक
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Turkish
modern
70 millions of speakers
Translator English — Italian
moderno
65 millions of speakers
Translator English — Polish
nowoczesny
50 millions of speakers
Translator English — Ukrainian
сучасний
40 millions of speakers
Translator English — Romanian
modern
30 millions of speakers
Translator English — Greek
σύγχρονος
15 millions of speakers
Translator English — Afrikaans
moderne
14 millions of speakers
Translator English — Swedish
modern
10 millions of speakers
Translator English — Norwegian
moderne
5 millions of speakers
Trends of use of modern
TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «MODERN»
The term «modern» is very widely used and occupies the 1.728 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «modern» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of modern
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «modern».
FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «MODERN» OVER TIME
The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «modern» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «modern» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.
Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about modern
10 QUOTES WITH «MODERN»
Famous quotes and sentences with the word modern.
The tragedy of modern war is that the young men die fighting each other — instead of their real enemies back home in the capitals.
The sovereignty of scriptures of all religions must come to an end if we want to have a united integrated modern India.
This is what happens, when, for the first time in modern history, a candidate resorts to lawsuits to try to overturn the outcome of an election for president.
The world of TV debates is antiquated. What looked smart and modern in 1960, with Kennedy versus Nixon, looks quaint and over-rehearsed between Obama and Romney. We need a new format; even if we have the same moderators and candidates, there needs to be a more nuanced way for audiences to connect with and shape presidential debates.
In a liquid modern life there are no permanent bonds, and any that we take up for a time must be tied loosely so that they can be untied again, as quickly and as effortlessly as possible, when circumstances change — as they surely will in our liquid modern society, over and over again.
The academic area of new music or modern music festivals is not something which attracts me at all.
Investment banking has, in recent years, resembled a casino, and the massive scale of gambling losses has dragged down traditional business and retail lending activities as banks try to rebuild their balance sheets. This was one aspect of modern financial liberalisation that had dire consequences.
I like to have Chinese furniture in my home as a constant and painful reminder of how much has been destroyed in China. The contrast between the beauty of the past and the ugliness of the modern is nowhere sharper than in China.
Hitler was so modern, in that he was obsessed with being famous. He was caught up with this rush to be have achieved greatness before turning 30.
It’s an important point to make that people can’t just be invalidated, eradicated, because they don’t fit tidily into a box. And more and more, the modern world is all about conformity.
10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «MODERN»
Discover the use of modern in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to modern and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Modern Social Imaginaries
DIVAn accounting of the varying forms of social imaginary that have underpinned the rise of Western modernity./div «Charles Taylor presents a fundamental challenge to neoliberal apologists for the new world order—but not only to them.
2
Garner’s Modern American Usage
Another first in this edition is the panel of critical readers: 120-plus commentators who have helped Garner reassess and update the text, so that every page has been improved.
3
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
This volume is a reference source to literature in the English language throughout the world.
Henry Watson Fowler, 1994
This is a self-contained book focusing on the linear theory of the evolution of density perturbations in the universe, and the anisotropiesin the cosmic microwave background.
5
The Great War and Modern Memory
In a new introduction Fussell discusses the critical responses to his work, and the books that have influenced his writing and thinking about war.
The book includes photographic surveys of Danish Modern furniture in homes across the Unites States; a market guide with tips, facts and resources that includes discussions of veneer vs. solid wood, places to find Danish Modern furniture, …
Andrew Hollingsworth, 2009
7
Modern Spoken Cambodian
Originally published by Yale University Press, 1970. To order accompanying CDs for this book, contact the Language Resource Center at Cornell University (http: //lrc.cornell.edu).
Franklin E. Huffman, Charan Promchan, Chhom-Rak Thong Lambert, 1984
8
Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy
The book is written with grace and wit; again and again, Neiman writes the kind of sentences we dream of uttering in the perfect conversation: where every mot is bon. This is exemplary philosophy.
9
The Modern Corporation and Private Property
This volume remains of valuable to all those concerned with the evolution of this major social institution.
10
Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice
In this groundbreaking book, Mark Singleton calls into question many commonly held beliefs about the nature and origins of postural yoga (asana) and suggests a radically new way of understanding the meaning of yoga as it is practiced by …
10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «MODERN»
Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term modern is used in the context of the following news items.
Muslim inventions that shaped the modern world
London (CNN) Think of the origins of that staple of modern life, the cup of coffee, and Italy often springs to mind. But in fact, Yemen is where the … «CNN International, Jul 15»
Celebrity Cruises Joins Dîner en Blanc as Official Modern Luxury …
«We are thrilled to have a strong presence at Dîner en Blanc events in key cities in 2015, and to bring special elements of Celebrity’s modern … «PR Newswire, Jul 15»
Modern Family Meets Royal Duty: Prince George Turns 2
In the battle of whether they should be a royal family or a modern family it appears modern family is winning the argument. Kate’s insistence that … «Daily Beast, Jul 15»
Personal Data Surveillance as Modern Portraiture
Data collection on our lives is one of the obtrusive realities of the modern world, but Frick, an artist with a tech background now based in both … «Hyperallergic, Jul 15»
Authoritarian capitalism in modern times: when economic discipline …
The global spread of capitalism depends on an authoritarian form of politics. How can democracy survive alongside economic discipline in … «Open Democracy, Jul 15»
How ancient Greek mythology can explain Greece’s modern-day …
Greece’s dramatic debt crisis has drawn media attention from the world over, as the depression-racked country flirts with bankruptcy and a … «Los Angeles Times, Jul 15»
Four Hong Kong restaurants putting a modern spin on dim sum
Subsequently, modern dim sum restaurants have appeared, catering to these more contemporary, more adventurous tastes. It’s a fine line, … «South China Morning Post, Jul 15»
Outspoken Pastor Kicked Out of Denomination in ‘Modern-Day …
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod recently carried out what various members consider the equivalent of a modern-day heresy conviction. «Charisma News, Jul 15»
Group Petitions to Save a Prehistoric Fish From Modern Construction
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — The Atlantic sturgeon is among the oldest of fish species, dating from the time of the dinosaurs. It is the longest-living fish … «New York Times, Jul 15»
‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ coming to Lightfoot Center
Those are the very reasons Masque Theatre President Ruth Kegel chose “Thoroughly Modern Millie” as this year’s summer youth production … «TBO.com, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Modern [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/modern>. Apr 2023 ».
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Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [mod-ern]
- /ˈmɒd ərn/
- /ˈmɒdn/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [mod-ern]
- /ˈmɒd ərn/
Definitions of modern word
- adjective modern of or relating to present and recent time; not ancient or remote: modern city life. 1
- adjective modern characteristic of present and recent time; contemporary; not antiquated or obsolete: modern viewpoints. 1
- adjective modern of or relating to the historical period following the Middle Ages: modern European history. 1
- adjective modern 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. 1
- adjective modern (initial capital letter) new (def 12). 1
- adjective modern Typography. noting or descriptive of a font of numerals in which the body aligns on the baseline, as 1234567890. Compare old style (def 3). 1
Information block about the term
Origin of modern
First appearance:
before 1490
One of the 26% oldest English words
1490-1500; < Middle French moderne < Late Latin modernus, equivalent to Latin mod(o), mod(ō) lately, just now (orig. ablative singular of modus mode1) + -ernus adj. suffix of time
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Modern
modern popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between «mom» and «screwdriver».
Synonyms for modern
adj modern
- state-of-the-art — the latest and most sophisticated or advanced stage of a technology, art, or science.
- contemporary — Contemporary things are modern and relate to the present time.
- current — A current is a steady and continuous flowing movement of some of the water in a river, lake, or sea.
- stylish — characterized by or conforming to style or the fashionable standard; fashionably elegant; smart or chic: She wore a very stylish gown to the inaugural ball.
- present-day — current; modern: present-day techniques; present-day English.
adjective modern
- up-to-date — (of persons, buildings, etc.) keeping up with the times, as in outlook, information, ideas, appearance, or style.
- modernised — to make modern; give a new or modern character or appearance to: to modernize one’s ideas; to modernize a kitchen.
- innovative — tending to innovate, or introduce something new or different; characterized by innovation.
- progressive — favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters: a progressive mayor.
- enlightened — Having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook.
noun modern
- music — an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.
- plainsong — the unisonous vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times.
- rock and roll — a style of popular music that derives in part from blues and folk music and is marked by a heavily accented beat and a simple, repetitive phrase structure.
- bebop — Bebop is a form of jazz music with complex harmonies and rhythms. The abbreviation bop is also used.
- ragtime — a novel (1975) by E. L. Doctorow.
Antonyms for modern
adj modern
- old-fashioned — of a style or kind that is no longer in vogue: an old-fashioned bathing suit.
- future — time that is to be or come hereafter.
- ancient — Ancient means very old, or having existed for a long time.
- antiquated — If you describe something as antiquated, you are criticizing it because it is very old or old-fashioned.
- obsolete — no longer in general use; fallen into disuse: an obsolete expression.
adjective modern
- traditional — of or relating to tradition.
Top questions with modern
- where was modern pizza invented?
- how to build a modern house in minecraft?
- what channel is modern family on?
- what does modern mean?
See also
- All definitions of modern
- Synonyms for modern
- Antonyms for modern
- Related words to modern
- Sentences with the word modern
- Words that rhyme with modern
- modern pronunciation
- The plural of modern
Matching words
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- Words starting with mo
- Words starting with mod
- Words starting with mode
- Words starting with moder
- Words starting with modern
- Words ending with n
- Words ending with rn
- Words ending with ern
- Words ending with dern
- Words containing the letters m
- Words containing the letters m,o
- Words containing the letters m,o,d
- Words containing the letters m,o,d,e
- Words containing the letters m,o,d,e,r
- Words containing the letters m,o,d,e,r,n
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Toggle the table of contents
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Look up modern in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Modern may refer to:
History[edit]
- Modern history
- Early Modern period
- Late Modern period
- 18th century
- 19th century
- 20th century
- Contemporary history
- Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century
Philosophy and sociology[edit]
- Modernity, a loosely defined concept delineating a number of societal, economic and ideological features that contrast with «pre-modern» times or societies
- Late modernity
Art[edit]
- Modernism
- Modernist poetry
- Modern art, a form of art
- Modern dance, a dance form developed in the early 20th century
- Modern architecture, a broad movement and period in architectural history
- Modern music (disambiguation)
Geography[edit]
- Modra, a Slovak city, referred to in the German language as «Modern»
Typography[edit]
- Modern (typeface), a raster font packaged with Windows XP
- Another name for the typeface classification known as Didone (typography)
- Modern, a generic font family name for fixed-pitch serif and sans serif fonts (for example, Courier and Pica), used e.g. in OpenDocument format or Rich Text Format
Music[edit]
- Modern (Buzzcocks album)
- Modern (EP), an EP by Gas
- Modern Records, a Los Angeles record label
- Modern (Amber Smith album)
Other uses[edit]
- Modernform Group, traded as MODERN, a furniture manufacturer and distributor in Thailand
- Modern Defense, a chess opening
- Modern (political party), Polish political party
See also[edit]
- Contemporary (disambiguation)
- Early modern human
- Modern age (disambiguation)
- Modern agriculture (disambiguation)
- Modern English
- Modern liberalism in the United States
- Modern Man (disambiguation)
- Modern paganism
- Modern philosophy
- Modern republicanism
- Modern Times (disambiguation)
- Postmodernism
- The Modern (disambiguation)
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WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023 mod•ern /ˈmɑdɚn/USA pronunciation
mo•der•ni•ty /mɑˈdɜrnɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023 mod•ern
n.
mod′ern•ly, adv.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: modern /ˈmɒdən/ adj
n
Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French, from Late Latin modernus, from modō (adv) just recently, from modus mode ˈmodernness n ‘modern‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations): |
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Adjective
Water pollution is a growing problem in the modern world.
He’s known as the father of modern medicine.
The English that was spoken by William Shakespeare is very different from the modern English spoken today.
She is learning Modern Greek.
They live in one of the most modern cities in the world.
modern methods of communication including e-mail and the Internet
She cut her long hair for a modern look.
He made his old-fashioned apartment look more modern by changing the color of the walls and buying new furniture.
Their latest movie is a modern version of a classic children’s story.
She has modern ideas about dating and marriage.
Noun
the leaders of the American suffragists were originally regarded by many people as uppity moderns who should have stayed in their place
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Get this mid-century modern-inspired dresser, which is made of solid pine and has six sturdy drawers for all your clothes and linens, for 59% off ahead of Way Day 2023.
—Samantha Jones, Good Housekeeping, 12 Apr. 2023
The show went on, with the performers wearing modern clothing.
—Kturnqui, oregonlive, 12 Apr. 2023
The realities of modern life have made it so that elders often live far from their families, or the younger people in their lives are simply too busy or under-resourced to care for them.
—Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi have epitomized modern young love since the summer of 2021—and now, after almost two years together, they are officially engaged.
—Harper’s BAZAAR, 11 Apr. 2023
In this modern game, what do teams need out of a quarterback to win the league?
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 9 Apr. 2023
It’s made from natural wood and seagrass and features a low-profile, mid-century modern design.
—Clara Mcmahon, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2023
To be talked about by everyone but not seen is somewhat analogous to the experience of celebrities and sports stars in modern life, because most people go their whole lives without ever meeting or seeing their favorite sports star or celebrity in person.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Apr. 2023
Another Bowling Alley in Southlake, Texas For $18 million, this 31,000-square-foot Texas estate has a clean, modern design with architectural symmetry at every turn.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2023
Desert modern never looked so luxe.
—Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 17 Mar. 2023
The stairs, sans risers, are very mid-century modern.
—John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Dec. 2022
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina Midcentury-modern meets postwar Hawaiian architecture in this incredible $10.9 million beachfront manse in North Carolina.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2023
Quality essentials like a crisp white button-up and a fine knit V-neck keep the below-the-knee skirt silhouette modern, while a pair of pumps with strikingly chic gold hardware adds a jewelry-like touch to finish the look.
—Madeline Fass, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2023
All the houses are some riff on mid-century modern.
—Vulture, 6 Oct. 2022
Stepping back in time from the early modern to the ancient, the implications of this research seem straightforward, if explosive.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 8 Aug. 2013
But what Hopper really loved—loved as an artist—was the clash of old and new, the quirky Greek Revival rubbing up against the sleek and featureless modern.
—Christopher Benfey, The New York Review of Books, 2 Feb. 2023
What largely separates the modern from the outdated is greater embrace of direct to consumer (D2C).
—Casper Rasmussen, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘modern.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.