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This question has already been largely asked here Word referencing time of creation, but contemporaneous seems a bit too cryptic for common use. Contemporary would also technically work but many people associate contemporary with modern. So it's a bit risky to use it either.

So, any suggestions?

EDIT: The question is now closed (for a good enough reason), but if it is of use to anyone, i chose to go with 'coeval'.

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I voted to close as general reference because I think this sort of question is what a thesaurus is for. – Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 Aug 26 '11 at 15:04

closed as general reference by Mr. Shiny and New 安宇, JSBձոգչ, KitFox, Mitch, aedia λ Aug 26 '11 at 15:36

This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

4 Answers

I would suggest "concurrent" as the clearest and most easily understood term:

Happening at the same time; simultaneous.
Belonging to the same period; contemporary.

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Try using of the time.

Tesla's theories were way ahead technology of the time.

It is not one word, but I believe it is simplest and shortest you can get.

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The word that best fits for me would be Originally.

The car was originally blue but we had it painted pink for affect.

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I'm partial to autocthonous, but I don't think most English speakers are familiar with the word.

It essentially means that the thing in question has been in existence since the creation. It is usually used with ethnic/tribal groups to indicate that, as near as we can tell, those are the people (well...at least the cultural/genetic descendents of the people) who first lived there. Sometimes it is used in a similar sense in biology, to indicate that a species arose in a specific place. It can also be used in geology to indicate that the rock in question originated where it was found (rather than having been transported there somehow).

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I'm fond of the word too, but as it essentially means 'aboriginal' (using Greek roots not Latin), it doesn't really fit here. – TimLymington Aug 26 '11 at 15:45

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