This is the 2806th most frequent French word.
contemporaines
Contemporaines: Contemporary; belonging to the same time or era.
Here, 'contemporaines' is an adjective describing 'œuvres' (works), denoting that the pieces are of the current or modern era.
Les œuvres d'art contemporaines reflètent les idées modernes.
Contemporary artworks reflect modern ideas.
In this sentence, 'contemporaines' qualifies 'sociétés' (societies), suggesting that the societies are from the present time.
Les sociétés contemporaines doivent faire face à de nombreux défis.
Contemporary societies must face numerous challenges.
'Contemporaines' describes 'auteurs' (authors), indicating that these authors are active during the current period or era.