cent

1 of 3

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

2 of 3

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

Gas prices edged over $4 a gallon in Broward County and increased by 11 cents across the country compared to the same time last week. — Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026

If the deal has not closed after September 30, additional consideration begins accruing daily at a rate equivalent to 25 cents a share every 90 days, payable when the transaction eventually completes. — Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Sazerac also offered a dividend above what Brown-Forman shareholders currently receive, which is about 22 cents a quarter per share. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 26 July 2026

Of the 232 centre-backs included in the sample mentioned above, only 10 averaged a lower share of passes played long (passes of 35-plus yards) than Stones’ six per cent — and five of those were fellow City players. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 26 July 2026

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

Rhymes for cent

• bent
• blent
• ent
• fent
• lent
• meant
• pent
• rent
• rente
• scent
• sent
• spent

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"