cent

1 of 3

noun

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)

Cent

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

Examples of cent in a Sentence

Noun A dime is worth 10 cents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
His approval ratings drift like summer clouds above fifty per cent, and his congressional-redistricting campaign is central to the Democrats’ play for power this fall. Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026 Later on, Cabey—who is reportedly still alive, though not well—won a civil judgment of $43 million from Goetz, who declared bankruptcy and never gave him a cent. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Feb. 2026 Oceanside plans to boost spending on crime suppression, e-bike enforcement and homelessness prevention this year using higher-than-expected revenue from the Measure X half-cent sales tax hike approved by voters. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026 Their approach that day actually did typify the three core principles, twice scoring from quick attacks (nine minutes apart) with just 27 per cent possession. Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cent

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, hundred, from Latin centum — more at hundred

First Known Use

Noun

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cent was in 1782

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cent. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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"

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