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

The site dates over a century after the Romans began industrializing concrete in the first century BC. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Dec. 2025

Barbados is home to one of the most vibrant celebrations in the Caribbean, dating back to the 18th century and marking the end of the sugar cane harvest. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025

Today, the village is awash with women dressed in 15th-century woolen tunics, men in pseudo-Robin Hood gear. —David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025

For the analysis, published in the journal Parasitology, researchers looked at 50 sediment samples taken from the drain of a third-century latrine at the fort. —Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2025

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

Rhymes for century

• penitentiary
• plenipotentiary

Kids Definition

century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsench-(ə-)rē 

plural centuries

1

: a group of 100 things

2

: a period of 100 years