centenarian

noun

cen·​te·​nar·​i·​an ˌsen-tə-ˈner-ē-ən 

-ˈne-rē-

: one that is 100 years old or older

centenarian adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The festivities include a Buckingham Palace reception where Charles will congratulate centenarians who share the late monarch's birthday, and the dedication of a memorial garden at Regent's Park in central London. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

Natalia, a lonely Brazilian centenarian, anchors this searching novel. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

The lucky centenarians will receive a card signed by King Charles. —Valentine Ulgu-Servant, Vanity Fair, 14 Apr. 2026

Special guests at the event will be other centenarians ringing in their 100th birthdays, and birthday cake will be served. —Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for centenarian

• agrarian
• aquarian
• barbarian
• bavarian
• bulgarian
• cimmerian
• hungarian
• librarian
• ovarian
• riparian
• rotarian
• sectarian

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Kids Definition

centenarian

noun

cen·​te·​nar·​i·​an ˌsent-ᵊn-ˈer-ē-ən 

: a person 100 years old or older

centenarian adjective