centenarian
noun
Did you know?
We can't say there are exactly 100 English words based on the Latin root centum, meaning "hundred," but there are certainly dozens. "Centenarian" isn't the oldest one; it only dates from the late 1700s. Far older is "centurion" (an ancient Roman military officer), which has been around since the 13th century. A younger "centum" offspring is "centisecond," a rare term for 1/100 of a second that dates from the 1950s. From colorful words such as "centicipitous" (which means "100-headed") to practical ones like "centgener" ("a device for planting 100 seeds"), "centum" descendants have enlivened our language for centuries.
Examples of centenarian in a Sentence
Renée Onque, CNBC, 27 Nov. 2025
While some centenarians are aging peacefully at home, others find community and purpose in senior living.
—Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
Teas Hot teas are a standard part of life for many Blue Zone centenarians, offering comfort and health benefits.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 24 Nov. 2025
The centenarians worked government jobs together in the Big Apple, and at the age of 69, Eleanor earned a doctorate in Urban Education from Fordham University.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for centenarian
Cite this Entry
“Centenarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centenarian. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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centenarian
noun
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