simultaneous

1 of 2

adjective

si·​mul·​ta·​neous ˌsī-məl-ˈtā-nē-əs 

-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 

-nyəs-

also ˌsi-

adverb

simultaneousness noun

simultaneity

2 of 2

noun

simul·​ta·​ne·​i·​ty

ˌsīməltəˈnēətē, 

ˌsim-, 

-ēətē, 

-i

plural -es

: the quality or state or an instance of being simultaneous

the simultaneity of these events has been exaggerated

—G. G. Simpson

specifically : the presentation of different views of the same object (such as a profile and full view of a face) in one work of art

simultaneity … in Egyptian painting

—Helen Gardner

Synonyms of simultaneous

Adjective

• concurrent
• synchronous
• synchronic
• coincident

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

Adjective

The two gunshots were simultaneous.

a simultaneous release of the movie and its soundtrack on CD

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

So, too, do simultaneous hermaphrodites, a collection of creatures that includes most species of land snails, slugs, and earthworms. — Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

The team believes that finding food or reproducing may have been simultaneous drivers for her journey. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 June 2026

This enables multiple simultaneous computations in a relatively simple way, with lower power requirements compared to conventional electronics. — IEEE Spectrum, 18 June 2026

Rather than cannibalizing the lean-back view, the two screens stack, pointing to an audience that has normalized simultaneous fast and slow consumption rather than choosing between them. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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.

Noun

Medieval Latin simultaneitas, from (assumed) Medieval Latin simultaneus + Latin -itas -ity

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for simultaneous

• miscellaneous
• percutaneous
• subcutaneous
• subterraneous
• transcutaneous
• contemporaneous
• extemporaneous
• intracutaneous
• mucocutaneous
• extraneous
• spontaneous
• lanius

Kids Definition

simultaneous

adjective

si·​mul·​ta·​neous ˌsī-məl-ˈtā-nē-əs 

-nyəs

1

: existing or occurring at the same time

2

: satisfied by the same values of the variables

simultaneous equations

simultaneously adverb

Etymology

Adjective

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