coeval: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “coeval” mean?
Having the same age or existing during the same period of time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Having the same age or existing during the same period of time.
Belonging to the same historical or geological era; contemporary in origin or duration.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in UK academic writing, particularly in historical and geological contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties carry connotations of scholarly precision and formality.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday speech in both regions; primarily confined to academic and technical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “coeval” in a Sentence
ADJ + with + NOUN (The artefacts are coeval with the settlement.)BE + coeval (The two philosophies are coeval.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coeval” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Sutton Hoo ship burial is roughly coeval with the reign of King Rædwald.
- Geologists determined the two igneous intrusions were coeval.
American English
- The Declaration of Independence and Adam Smith's *The Wealth of Nations* are roughly coeval works.
- These sedimentary layers are not coeval with the volcanic ash above them.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used.
Academic
Common in history, archaeology, geology, and literary studies to denote simultaneity of origin or existence. (e.g., 'These fossil beds are coeval.')
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in scientific dating and stratigraphy to indicate formations or events of the same age.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coeval”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coeval”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coeval”
- Using it to mean 'modern' or 'current'. (Incorrect: 'His coeval smartphone is amazing.')
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈkəʊvəl/ (like 'cove').
- Using it in informal contexts where 'contemporary' would be more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Coeval' is more formal and precise, often used in academic/technical contexts to stress sharing the exact same age or period of origin. 'Contemporary' is broader, meaning 'existing or occurring at the same time', but can also mean 'modern' or 'current'.
Yes, though less commonly. As a noun, it means 'a person or thing living or existing at the same time as another' (e.g., 'He was a coeval of Newton').
Yes, but it is very formal. It emphasises they belong to the same generation or era (e.g., 'The two composers were coevals'). In everyday speech, 'contemporary' or 'peer' is preferred.
In British English: /kəʊˈiːv(ə)l/ (koh-EE-vuhl). In American English: /koʊˈivəl/ (koh-EE-vuhl). The stress is on the second syllable: co-E-val.
Having the same age or existing during the same period of time.
Coeval is usually formal, academic in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'CO-EV-al' as in 'CO-existing in the same EV-AL (era/epoch)'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A LINE: coeval entities occupy the same point on the timeline.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'coeval' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?