cent

noun \ ˈsent \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of cent

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

See cent defined for English-language learners

See cent defined for kids

Examples of cent in a Sentence

A dime is worth 10 cents.

Recent Examples of cent from the Web

That study found wholesale electricity prices dropped as much as 1.2 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity with such standards in place, along with other benefits.

— ryan randazzo, azcentral, "Palo Verde nuclear plant could close if renewable-energy measure passes, APS says," 12 Apr. 2018
The cost of a beer has dropped to $1.55 and a metro ticket to just 80 cents.

— Bloomberg.com, "Your Trip to the World Cup in Russia Just Got 10% Cheaper," 11 Apr. 2018
San Francisco, Oakland, and Boulder, Colorado as well as other cities have small, one to two-cent per ounce taxes.

— NBC News, "Taxing sodas, junk food and tobacco works, task force argues," 4 Apr. 2018
Hugo’s bill dropped the tax rate to about 50 cents per square foot, saying that the land should be assessed as open space as some golf courses in other counties are.

— patricia sullivan, Washington Post, "Arlington board calls for veto of golf-course tax bill as a ‘dangerous precedent’," 27 Mar. 2018
Fishermen have received slightly less money for scallops at the docks in recent years — about $12 per pound in 2016, down about 50 cents from two years previously.

— patrick whittle, USA TODAY, "If you savor scallops, good news: Price drop may be in store," 19 Mar. 2018
Two years later, that fee went up to 50 cents, with an additional two-cent fee paid by the ride-hailing companies themselves.

— winnie hu, New York Times, "When Calling an Uber Can Pay Off for Cities and States," 18 Feb. 2018
As riders defected from Uber, Lyft went from underdog to formidable competitor, raising $1.7 billion and growing its share of the American market to more than thirty per cent.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "At Uber, a New C.E.O. Shifts Gears," 30 Mar. 2018
Apple’s next challenge is talking dollars and cents with the administrators who approve purchases.

— jefferson graham, USA TODAY, "New Apple products are coming: What to expect and how to follow the Chicago event," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cent

French, hundred, from Latin centum — more at hundred

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1782

See Words from the same year

cent

abbreviation

Definition of cent

1 centigrade

2 central

3 centum

4 century

Other Weights and Measures Terms

avoirdupois weight, calorie, denier, kip, pace, twain

Cent

abbreviation

Definition of Cent

Central

CENT Defined for English Language Learners

cent

noun

Definition of cent for English Language Learners

: a unit of money that is equal to 1/100 of the basic unit of money in many countries : one percent of a dollar, euro, rupee, etc.

CENT Defined for Kids

cent

noun \ ˈsent \

Definition of cent for Students

1 : a hundredth part of the unit of the money system in a number of different countries

In the United States 100 cents equal one dollar.

2 : a coin, token, or note representing one cent

Word Root of cent

The Latin word centum, meaning “hundred,” gives us the root cent. Words from the Latin centum have something to do with the number 100. A dollar is made up of 100 cents. A century is a period of 100 years. A percent is the portion of something out of 100 parts.