# recent

Pronunciation: say "REE-suhnt" /ˈɹiːsənt/

## Adjective

1. Having happened, begun, or become what it is only a short time ago.
   - Simple: Happening, starting, or becoming what it is only a short time ago.
   - _The recent merger reshaped the entire company within months._
   - _Several recent studies point to the same conclusion about sleep._
2. Having occurred a comparatively short time ago on a geological, paleontological, or astronomical scale, though possibly thousands or even millions of years in the past.
   - Simple: Having happened not too long ago in science terms, but still maybe thousands or millions of years back.
   - _Geologists described the lava flow as recent, though it dates back several thousand years._
   - _The crater is recent in astronomical terms, having formed only a few million years ago._

## Noun

3. An item that was viewed or accessed a short time ago, kept in a list for quick re-access.
   - Simple: An item you looked at or opened a short time ago, shown in a list.
   - _The app keeps every document you open in its recents until you clear the list._
   - _If you can't find the spreadsheet you were editing yesterday, check your recents in the app's side menu._

## Origin

Borrowed from Latin "recēns" (genitive "recentis").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/recent (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).