moderne

Moderne is an adjective meaning modern in several European languages, most notably Dutch, French, and Germanic languages, and it appears in English mainly in historical or loanword contexts. It denotes something contemporary, current, or characteristic of the present or recent past. The term derives from Latin modernus and entered Romance languages as moderne (for French and related varieties), while in Germanic languages it appears as moderne or as the noun Moderne in some contexts.

In art, design, and architecture the term is associated with historical movements. In the interwar period the phrase Art Moderne described a style related to Art Deco that emphasized streamlined, simplified forms and horizontal emphasis. In North America and Europe it is sometimes distinguished from stricter Art Deco, while "Streamline Moderne" is used specifically for the more rounded, aerodynamic variant of the same movement.

Linguistic usage varies by language. In Dutch, moderne is the standard adjective for modern and appears in phrases such as moderne kunst (modern art) or moderne architectuur. In French, moderne is a common adjective (la société moderne, l’art moderne), and the compound L’Art Moderne is used for the modern art movement. In German, die Moderne or Moderne Kunst refer to the modern era or modern art, with similar usage in educational and critical contexts. In English, moderne appears mainly in historical or translational contexts and is far less common in everyday speech.

Overall, moderne functions as a cross-lertilized term across languages to indicate modernity, with specific architectural and cultural associations in historical contexts.