Simultaneous: happening at the same time
Simultaneous means happening at the same time. Its Latin root, simul, means together or at the same time. Two simultaneous workshops overlap in time, so a participant cannot attend both in full, even if the sessions cover different subjects and take place in neighbouring rooms.
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One time, multiple events
Simultaneous is an adjective for events that happen at the same time. It is based on Latin simul, meaning together or at the same time.
Two bells ringing at noon can be simultaneous. Two workshops scheduled from ten to eleven are simultaneous sessions. The word connects their timing without suggesting that one causes the other.
The related adverb is simultaneously:
- Both doors opened simultaneously.
- The announcement appeared simultaneously on two screens.
Choose the level of precision that fits the setting. In an ordinary schedule, the word can describe overlapping sessions. In a precise timing task, you may need to specify whether two actions started at exactly the same moment or merely continued during the same period.