genössische

Genössische is a German adjective meaning contemporary or present-day. It is used to describe cultural, artistic, social, or intellectual phenomena that belong to the current or recent period. The term appears in phrases such as genössische Kunst (contemporary art), genössische Architektur (contemporary architecture), genössische Musik (contemporary music), and genössische Literatur (contemporary literature). It can also describe aspects of life or society, as in das genössische Leben (the contemporary life).

In everyday usage, genössische is often paired with nouns that denote art, culture, or social reality. It is a flexible descriptor found across museum labels, critical essays, journalism, and academic writing. The form adapts to German grammar: die genössische Kunst (feminine singular), das genössische Leben (neuter singular), die genössischen Künste (plural). The adjective is related to zeitgenössisch, another common way to express present-day or current; while both terms are largely synonymous, zeitgenössisch is often preferred for broad cultural or historical discussions, whereas genössisch can emphasize the immediacy of contemporary phenomena.

Genössische is not a proper noun or a standalone concept; it is a standard descriptive adjective. Its usage helps distinguish present-day phenomena from earlier periods such as classical or medieval times, and it remains widely used in art criticism, cultural reporting, and scholarly writing in German.

See also: zeitgenössische Kunst, Gegenwartskunst, zeitgenössische Musik, zeitgenössische Literatur.