simultaneous

adjective

si·​mul·​ta·​neous ˌsī-məl-ˈtā-nē-əs How to pronounce simultaneous (audio)
-nyəs,
 also  ˌsi-
1
: existing or occurring at the same time : exactly coincident
2
: satisfied by the same values of the variables
simultaneous equations
simultaneity
ˌsī-məl-tə-ˈnē-ə-tē
-ˈnā-
 also  ˌsi-
noun
simultaneously
ˌsī-məl-ˈtā-nē-əs-lē How to pronounce simultaneous (audio)
-nyəs-
 also  ˌsi-
adverb
simultaneousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for simultaneous

contemporary, contemporaneous, coeval, synchronous, simultaneous, coincident mean existing or occurring at the same time.

contemporary is likely to apply to people and what relates to them.

Abraham Lincoln was contemporary with Charles Darwin

contemporaneous is more often applied to events than to people.

contemporaneous accounts of the kidnapping

coeval refers usually to periods, ages, eras, eons.

two stars thought to be coeval

synchronous implies exact correspondence in time and especially in periodic intervals.

synchronous timepieces

simultaneous implies correspondence in a moment of time.

the two shots were simultaneous

coincident is applied to events and may be used in order to avoid implication of causal relationship.

the end of World War II was coincident with a great vintage year

Examples of simultaneous in a Sentence

The two gunshots were simultaneous. a simultaneous release of the movie and its soundtrack on CD
Recent Examples on the Web In a heartfelt Instagram post Monday (March 18), the 30-year-old pop star shared the warmth with her fans while expressing gratitude for the simultaneous feats. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024 That limits the system’s ability to generate images in 3D, which is necessary in advanced diagnostics, such as determining bladder volume or looking at simultaneous orthogonal views of the heart. IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for simultaneous 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'simultaneous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin simultāneus "occurring at the same time," from Latin simul "in company, together, at the same time" (going back to an apocopated neuter form of similis "having characteristics in common, like") + Medieval Latin -tāneus, as in instantāneus instantaneous, Late Latin momentāneus "momentary," spontāneus "voluntary, unconstrained, spontaneous" — more at similar

Note: The Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources records one occurrence of simultāneus, in the Tractatus de logica of John Wycliffe. At the entry in that dictionary the word is parsed as from simultās "occurrence at the same time" (distinct from classical Latin simultās "state of animosity") + the suffix -āneus. This analysis is possible but seems less likely. Regarding the suffix -āneus see the etymology and note at spontaneous.

First Known Use

circa 1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of simultaneous was circa 1660

Dictionary Entries Near simultaneous

Cite this Entry

“Simultaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simultaneous. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

simultaneous

adjective
si·​mul·​ta·​neous ˌsī-məl-ˈtā-nē-əs How to pronounce simultaneous (audio)
-nyəs
1
: existing or occurring at the same time
2
: satisfied by the same values of the variables
simultaneous equations
simultaneously adverb
Etymology

from Latin simul "at the same time, together" and English -taneous (as in instantaneous) — related to assemble, ensemble

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