modern

1 of 2

adjective

mod·​ern ˈmä-dərn 

 nonstandard  ˈmä-d(ə-)rən

1

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the immediate past : contemporary

the modern American family

b

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a period extending from a relevant remote past to the present time

modern history

2

: involving recent techniques, methods, or ideas : up-to-date

modern methods of communication

3

capitalized : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of development of a language

Modern English

4

: of or relating to modernism : modernist

Modern art has abandoned the representation of recognizable objects.

modernly

ˈmä-dərn-lē 

adverb

modernness

ˈmä-dərn-nəs 

noun

modern

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a person of modern times or views

b

: an adherent of modernism : modernist

2

: a style of printing type distinguished by regularity of shape, precise curves, straight hairline serifs, and heavy downstrokes

Synonyms

Adjective

• contemporary
• current
• designer
• hot
• mod
• modernistic
• new
• new age
• newfangled
• new-fashioned
• present-day
• red-hot
• space-age
• state-of-the-art
• ultramodern
• up-to-date
• up-to-the-minute

Noun

• modernist
• ultramodernist

Examples of modern in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

From modern surgical rooms to state-of-the-art equipment, the clinic maintains high standards of hygiene and patient care. —Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024

There have 16 four-homer games in modern (since 1900) major league history, including by Hall of Famers Lou Gehrig, Chuck Klein, Gil Hodges, Willie Mays and Mike Schmidt. —Jack Magruder, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024

Noun

Heidegger followed in a long line of German intellectuals, going as far back as the eighteenth century, who believed that the country was destined to play a transformative role in human history -- a kind of modern rejoinder to the creative glory of ancient Greece. —Gregory Fried, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2014

The production team found a house that screamed Palm Springs mid-century modern with an open background, a pool and spectacular views. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Late Latin modernus, from Latin modo just now, from modus measure — more at mete

First Known Use

Adjective

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing modern

• anti-modern
• modern-day
• modern man
• modern pentathlon
• pre-modern

Kids Definition

modern

1 of 2 adjective

mod·​ern ˈmäd-ərn 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the recent past

2

: of or relating to the period from about 1500 to the present

modern history

Modern English

modernity

mə-ˈdər-nət-ē  mä- 

noun

modernness

ˈmäd-ərn-nəs 

noun

modern

2 of 2 noun

: a person of modern times or ideas