modernity

noun

mo·​der·​ni·​ty mə-ˈdər-nə-tē 

mä-,

-ˈder- 

1

: the quality or state of being or appearing to be modern

Such details as street lamps, telephone booths, mailboxes and manhole covers have been expensively recreated to recall a past that makes even young Hungarians nostalgic and Western tourists regret the flashy modernity of their cities.

—Henry Kamm

His early work portrayed the idiosyncratic behavior of his zany upper-class family whose wealth and quest for modernity impelled them to try out all the latest inventions and devices of the time, from electric razors to automobiles to flying machines.

—Naomi Rosenblum

2

: the modern era or world and especially the ideas and attitudes associated with the modern world

For all his conservatism, Henry Adams's encounter with modernity led neither to romantic antiquarianism … nor to an intensified commitment to those very liberal arts that were under siege in a market society.

—Peter N. Miller

Examples of modernity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the Beach Bride For the summer bride hosting a seaside soirée, Loewe’s silk fishnet dress—framed with frothy ruffles—is the perfect blend of whimsy and modernity. —Sarah Zendejas, Vogue, 23 June 2025

Case in point: this striking ring, which masterfully balances color, proportion, and modernity. —Jill Newman, Robb Report, 12 June 2025

Some design elements hint towards modernity, while others gesture towards a period piece a few decades in the past. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 June 2025

The Seabrook Farms brand stood for family, freshness, and domestic modernity. —John Seabrook june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for modernity

• eternity
• fraternity
• maternity
• paternity
• confraternity
• taciturnity