Recent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɹiːsənt/

Definitions

1. Happening, existing, or occurring not long ago or in the near past
2. Describing events or circumstances that have taken place or come into existence in the time just prior to now
3. Referring to occurrences or phenomena that are new or contemporary in relation to the present moment

Etymology: The English adjective "recent" was borrowed from Latin "recēns", a word that originally meant "fresh" or "newly made", as in fresh food or a freshly produced thing rather than a moment in time. Its sense of "not long ago" grew out of that idea of newness: something fresh is something that has only just come into being. Latin "recēns" was itself closely tied to the idea of renewal and freshness, and it passed into English with its core meaning of recent arrival largely intact. The Latin genitive "recentis" shows the stem that English took as its base, which is why the modern word keeps the same shape.

Synonyms: new, fresh, modern, current, latest

Antonyms: old, ancient, outdated, obsolete, past