cent

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noun

ˈsent 

1

: a monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ of a basic unit of value (such as dollar, euro, rand) see birr, dollar, euro, leone, lilangeni, nakfa, rand, rupee, shilling at Money Table

2

: a coin, token, or note representing one cent

3

: the fen of the People's Republic of China

cent

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abbreviation (1)

1

centigrade

2

central

3

centum

4

century

Cent

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

Central

Examples of cent in a Sentence

Noun

A dime is worth 10 cents.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Burrell and Williams talked about how their own parents and grandparents purchased burial insurance, putting aside small amounts — sometimes just 50 cents a month — to hand the agent who regularly knocked on the door and initialed their savings book to note the payment. —Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 8 June 2024

The company reported a profit of $157 million or 18 cents per share for the first quarter, beating analyst estimates. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 6 June 2024

That’s an increase of 4.9 cents a gallon from last week. —Miami Herald Archives Update, Miami Herald, 3 June 2024

The retailer, which owns Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, and Old Navy, reported revenue of $3.38 billion, about $0.41 cents a share. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 31 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, hundred, from Latin centum — more at hundred

First Known Use

Noun

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cent

• euro cent
• not one red cent
• per cent
• red cent

Kids Definition

cent

noun

ˈsent

1

: a unit of value equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ part of a basic unit of money (as of a dollar or euro)

2

: a coin or bill representing one cent

Etymology

Noun

from early French cent "hundred," from Latin centum "hundred"