contemporizing
|con-tem-po-riz-ing|
/kənˈtɛmpəˌraɪz/
(contemporize)
make/act modern
Etymology
'contemporize' originates from the English adjective 'contemporary', ultimately from Latin 'contemporarius', where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'tempus' meant 'time'.
'contemporary' entered English via Old French/Medieval Latin (compare French 'contemporain') from Latin 'contemporarius'; English formed the verb 'contemporize' by adding the verbalizing suffix '-ize' to 'contemporary' in modern English.
Initially the root elements meant 'together in time'; the verb 'contemporize' came to mean 'to treat as contemporary' and later broadened in usage to include 'to modernize' or 'bring up to date'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
present participle or gerund form of 'contemporize'.
Contemporizing the museum's collection sparked a lively debate among curators.
Verb 2
making something contemporary; updating or modernizing (bringing up to current style, taste, or standards).
They are contemporizing the old theater to attract younger audiences.
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Verb 3
treating or regarding someone or something as belonging to the same time period; placing in the same temporal frame.
By contemporizing the two poets, critics highlighted their shared influences.
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Last updated: 2026/01/07 04:58