moˈdernity: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, academic
Quick answer
What does “moˈdernity” mean?
The quality or condition of being modern.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality or condition of being modern; the character, spirit, or tendencies of the present or recent times, especially as a departure from traditional values, practices, or institutions.
In social theory and history, a complex historical period or condition characterized by industrialization, urbanization, secularization, rationalization, the rise of the nation-state, technological progress, and the dominance of capitalist economic systems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or definitional differences.
Connotations
In British academic contexts, may carry stronger historical/philosophical connotations (e.g., referencing the Enlightenment). In American contexts, may be slightly more associated with technological and economic aspects.
Frequency
Equally frequent in formal/academic registers in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “moˈdernity” in a Sentence
the modernity of [noun phrase]modernity as a [noun phrase]modernity and its [noun phrase]from tradition to modernityVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “moˈdernity” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No direct verb form; related verb 'modernise')
American English
- (No direct verb form; related verb 'modernize')
adverb
British English
- (No direct adverb form; related adverb 'modernly' is very rare and unnatural)
- The city was redesigned very modernly. (Unnatural; use 'in a modern way')
American English
- (No direct adverb form)
- The system functions quite modernly. (Unnatural; use 'in a modern fashion/way')
adjective
British English
- The modernist movement reacted to the conditions of modernity.
- His thesis explores the modernising forces of the 19th century.
American English
- Modernist architecture is a key expression of early 20th-century modernity.
- Modernizing impulses often create tension with tradition.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe innovation and adaptation to current market/technological conditions (e.g., 'The company's strategy embraces digital modernity').
Academic
A central concept in sociology, history, and cultural studies, analysing social transformations since the Renaissance/Industrial Revolution.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; might be used in discussing architecture, art, or social changes (e.g., 'The building's design symbolises modernity').
Technical
In philosophy/social theory, a specific period or condition with defined characteristics like disenchantment, individualism, and bureaucratic rationality.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “moˈdernity”
- Using 'modernity' to mean simply 'something new' (e.g., 'the modernity of his phone' is odd).
- Confusing 'modernity' (the condition/era) with 'modernisation' (the process of becoming modern).
- Pronouncing it /ˈmɒd.nɪ.ti/ (incorrect stress).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Broadly yes, but 'modernity' is a more formal and conceptual term used in academic discourse to analyse the characteristics of that era, while 'modern times' is a more general, descriptive phrase.
'Modernity' refers to the social, economic, and cultural condition of the modern era. 'Modernism' is a specific artistic, literary, and cultural movement that arose in the late 19th/early 20th centuries as a response to, and reflection of, modernity.
It can be used neutrally or positively (associated with progress, reason, improvement). However, it is also often used critically, highlighting the downsides like alienation, environmental damage, or loss of tradition.
There is no consensus. Common starting points proposed by scholars include the Renaissance (15th-16th centuries), the Age of Enlightenment (18th century), or the Industrial Revolution (late 18th-19th centuries).
The quality or condition of being modern.
Moˈdernity is usually formal, academic in register.
Moˈdernity: in British English it is pronounced /mɒˈdɜː.nə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /məˈdɝː.nə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the cutting edge of modernity”
- “a clash between tradition and modernity”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think MODERN + ITY (the state of being). Link it to 'modern art' or 'modern technology'—it's the abstract noun describing that whole condition.
Conceptual Metaphor
MODERNITY IS A JOURNEY/FORWARD MOVEMENT (e.g., 'march of modernity', 'advance of modernity'); MODERNITY IS A BUILDING/PROJECT (e.g., 'project of modernity').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is LEAST associated with the concept of 'modernity' in social theory?