recent meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

recent

adjalso spelled Recent

UK /ˈɹiː.sənt/ · CA, US /ˈɹi.sənt/

Etymology Borrowed from Latin recēns (genitive recentis).

Having happened a short while ago.

Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 22 Feb 2016, page 193:

Up-to-date; not old-fashioned or dated.

Having done something a short while ago that distinguishes them as what they are called.

The cause has several hundred recent donors.
I met three recent graduates at the conference.

Sciences Particularly in geology, palaeontology, and astronomy: having occurred a relatively short time ago, but still potentially thousands or even millions of years ago.

Finding it now means it was produced in more recent times, in astronomical terms.2020 October 4, Evan Gough, “We Now Have Proof a Supernova Exploded Perilously Close to Earth 2.5 Million Years Ago”, in Science Alert:

Derived terms: non-recent, nonrecent, recency, Recent, recentish, recentism, recently, recent memory, in recent memory, recentness, semirecent, subrecent, unrecent

recent

noun

Etymology Borrowed from Latin recēns (genitive recentis).

Computing, Engineering, Graphical user interface, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A recently viewed or accessed item.

Obviously, the first time you launch this app, your Recents list is empty.2012, Jason R. Rich, Your iPad 2 at Work, page 308:

Recent

adj

Etymology As classifier for a geological epoch coinciding with human presence (“Recent era”) introduced by Charles Lyell in 1833.

Astronomy, Geography, Geology, Natural sciences Obsolete Of the Holocene, particularly pre-21st century.