kaasaaegne

Kaasaaegne is an Estonian adjective meaning modern or contemporary, used to describe things that belong to the present time or reflect current trends in art, culture, technology and society. It is commonly applied to art, architecture, design, literature and media to signal freshness, relevance or a break with older styles.

The word is formed from the components kaasa- and aegne; kaasa- conveys the sense of being along with or in conjunction with, while aegne relates to time. Kaasaaegne has been part of Estonian vocabulary as the language developed in the modern era, and it is widely used throughout the 20th and 21st centuries to mark present-day phenomena.

In practice, kaasaaegne appears in phrases such as kaasaaegne kunst (contemporary art), kaasaaegne arhitektuur (contemporary architecture), kaasaaegne tehnoloogia (modern technology) and kaasaaegne kirjandus (contemporary literature). The term often implies engagement with current ideas, methods or media, and may carry a sense of innovation or experimentation, though it is used in neutral, descriptive contexts as well.

Kaasaaegne is closely related to tänapäevane, another Estonian word for present-day or modern. While both describe the modern moment, kaasaegne tends to emphasize a connection to the present era and its ongoing development, whereas tänapäevane can stress the present-day timing more directly. Depending on context, kaasaaegne can thus evoke contemporary relevance, while also allowing for historical awareness of how the present differs from the recent past.

See also: contemporary art, modernism, Estonian language, vocabulary. Translations: contemporary, modern.

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