Moderni

Moderni is a term most often encountered in Italian, where it functions as the plural masculine form of the adjective moderno. As such, it describes something contemporary or current when applied to masculine plural nouns, for example edifici moderni or tecnologie moderni. It can also be used as a noun, meaning “the moderns,” when accompanied by a definite article: i moderni hanno abbracciato nuove tecnologie.

Etymology and linguistic context

Moderni derives from Latin modernus, a root that entered Italian through the development of the Romance languages. The form is typical of Italian adjectives that end in -o in the singular and -i in the plural. Although most Romance languages have their own words for “modern,” the Italian term moderni appears in similar contexts to denote modernity in plural form.

Usage notes

The masculine plural adjective moderni agrees with masculine plural nouns or with a generic masculine plural subject. In phrases like i moderni, the word functions as a nominalized form meaning “the modern people” or “the modern ones.” In everyday Italian, the feminine plural corresponding to moderno is moderne, and the plural noun for “the moderns” would be le moderne if used as a feminine plural, showing a typical gender and number agreement pattern in Romance languages.

Other uses

Moderni also appears as a surname in Italian-speaking regions, and may occur in onomastic contexts without implying any specific meaning beyond being a family name. It can occasionally appear in place names or brand names as well, though such uses are less common and highly context-dependent.

See also

Related terms include moderno, modernità, and modern (disambiguation) for broader discussions of modern concepts across languages.