German word

Zeitgenosse

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtsaɪ̯tgəˌnɔsə/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpeer

Example

In der Veranstaltung lerne ich viele Zeitgenossen kennen.

At the event, I meet many people my age.

Illustration for Zeitgenosse (peer)

More examples

Sie tauscht mit Zeitgenossen oft berufliche Erfahrungen aus.

She often exchanges professional experiences with her contemporaries.

Core concept

A circle of people standing within one era, connected by the fact that their lives unfold at the same time.

Common phrases

  • mit Zeitgenossen Erfahrungen austauschen

    exchange experiences with contemporaries

  • unter Zeitgenossen beliebt sein

    be popular among contemporaries

Similar words

Gleichaltrige: People of nearly the same age.
Zeitzeuge: Someone with firsthand experience of a historical event who can report it.
Mitbürger: Residents of the same country or community who share civic life.

Definition in German

Eine Person, die zur gleichen Zeitspanne gehört wie andere und damit zeitgenössisch ist.

Word origin

The compound Zeitgenosse joins Zeit with Genosse, a word for a companion or associate, to form the sense of a person from the same era.

Usage tips

  • The word can describe people from the same historical period even when they are far apart in age, so it does not simply mean someone of similar age.

Other meanings

  • contemporarynoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word