century
SEHNT-shuu-ree
Century (noun) means a period of one hundred years. Example: “The bridge has stood for over a century.”
noun
1
A period of one hundred years.
"The bridge has stood for over a century."
"She was born at the start of the twentieth century."
"The old oak in the square is nearly a century old."
2
In cricket, a score of one hundred runs by a single batsman in an innings.
"He scored a century before lunch."
"Everyone stood to applaud when the captain reached his century."
"She was out for ninety-eight, just missing a century."
3
A unit of the ancient Roman army, originally about a hundred soldiers.
"Each century was commanded by a centurion."
"A Roman century marched in tight formation along the dusty road."
"The soldiers of each century slept in the same row of tents."
How to use century
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hundred years, or (in cricket) a hundred runs.
Common pairings
turn of the century
score a century
a century ago
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Etymology
From Latin centuria, from centum ("one hundred").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for century
See all rhymes for century →Frequently asked questions
What does “century” mean?
The word “century” means a period of one hundred years. In plain terms, a hundred years, or (in cricket) a hundred runs.
How do you pronounce “century”?
“Century” is pronounced SEHNT-shuu-ree (/ˈsɛn(t)ʃ(ə)ɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “century” in a sentence?
Here is “century” used in a sentence: “The bridge has stood for over a century.”
What part of speech is “century”?
“Century” is a noun.
Where does the word “century” come from?
The word “century” comes from Latin. From Latin centuria, from centum ("one hundred").
Is “century” a common word?
“Century” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “century” have?
“Century” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a period of one hundred years.
How many years are in a century?
A century is exactly one hundred years. The word comes from the Latin centum, meaning hundred. It is used both for any span of a hundred years and for the numbered divisions of the calendar, such as the twenty-first century, which covers the years 2001 through 2100.
Why is the 1900s called the 20th century?
Because counting began from year one, not year zero. The first century covered years 1 to 100, so each century's number runs one ahead of the years it contains. The 1900s fall in the twentieth century, and the 2000s in the twenty-first, which often surprises people.
What is the difference between a century and a decade?
A decade is ten years; a century is one hundred, or ten decades. Both mark stretches of time, but a century is far longer and is often used to describe historical eras, while decades tend to capture cultural moments, like the 1960s or the 1990s.
What is the difference between a century and a millennium?
A century is one hundred years, while a millennium is one thousand, or ten centuries. Both are used to divide history into large blocks, but a millennium marks a much grander scale, which is why the turn from 1999 to 2000 drew such worldwide attention.
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