century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)rē 

plural centuries

1

: a period of 100 years

a company that has been in business for more than a century

specifically : one of the 100-year divisions of the Christian era or of the preceding period of human history

the third century A.D./B.C

the 18th century

2

: a group, sequence, or series of 100 like things

3

a

: a subdivision of the Roman legion

b

: a voting unit of ancient Rome constituted according to property qualifications

4

: a race over a hundred units (such as yards, miles, or meters)

Examples of century in a Sentence

It took more than a century to complete the cathedral.

The pottery dates back to the sixth century B.C.E.

When the prince got married, it was called the wedding of the century.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hundreds of thousands of Black southerners moved to Chicago in the early 20th century in search of greater freedoms and economic opportunities. —Matt Brown, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024

More than a trillion of the critters are expected to surface in parts of the United States this year in a rare co-emergence event the likes of which hasn’t been seen in over two centuries. —Koh Ewe, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024

Rabies, a common and deadly scourge in the 19th century, posed a contradiction to animal advocates. —Ben Goldfarb, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024

The electric monopolies, gas utilities and oil refineries that have spent two centuries smothering us with fossil fuels, meanwhile, are driven by profits. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024

Within this century, the group estimates 314 species are threatened with extinction. —David Schechter, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024

The report also highlights a vulnerability rooted in the dramatic changes Maui experienced since the arrival of Westerners and the conversion of land into pineapple and sugar plantations in the 19th century. —Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Rebecca Boone, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Apr. 2024

For example, parts of Tokyo subsided a jaw-dropping 15 feet in the twentieth century, says Nicholls, but managed to stabilize the lowest parts of the city by enforcing strict groundwater rules. —Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024

Starting in the late 20th century, simple switch devices began to enable people with severe motor disabilities to access computers. —S. I. Rosenbaum, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin centuria, irregular from centum hundred

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing century

• century plant
• the turn of the century

Kids Definition

century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsench-(ə-)rē 

plural centuries

1

: a group of 100 things

2

: a period of 100 years