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recent (adj.)

early 15c., from Latin recentem (nominative recens) "lately done or made, new, fresh, young," from re- (see re-) + PIE root *ken- "fresh, new, young" (source also of Greek kainos "new;" Sanskrit kanina- "young;" Old Irish cetu- "first;" Old Church Slavonic načino "to begin," koni "beginning"). Related: Recently; recentness (1670s, but OED reports recency (1610s) was "Common in 19th c.").

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Definitions of recent from WordNet
1
recent (adj.)
of the immediate past or just previous to the present time;
his recent trip to Africa
in recent months
a recent issue of the journal
Synonyms: late
recent (adj.)
new;
recent buds on the apple trees
a recent addition to the house
recent graduates
2
Recent (n.)
approximately the last 10,000 years;
Synonyms: Holocene / Holocene epoch / Recent epoch
From wordnet.princeton.edu