centenary

play

noun cen·te·na·ry \sen-ˈte-nə-rē, ˈsen-tə-ˌner-ē, -ˌne-rē, especially British sen-ˈtē-nə-rē\

Definition of centenary

plural

centenaries

: centennial

centenary

adjective

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Examples of centenary in a Sentence

This year marks the centenary of the building's construction.

Recent Examples of centenary from the Web

Their heads of state -- the kings and queens of Sweden, Denmark and Norway, as well as Iceland’s president -- will descend upon Helsinki on Thursday to celebrate the centenary and rub elbows.

— kati pohjanpalo, Bloomberg.com, "Finland Can Teach the World How to Stand Up to Russia", 31 May 2017
JOHANNESBURG — Spanish officials in South Africa are marking the centenary of the sinking of a steamer vessel that killed 134 Spanish passengers and crew members during World War I.

— associated press, Washington Post, "Spain marks WWI anniversary of boat’s sinking near Cape Town", 26 May 2017
The limited edition volume celebrating the centenary of Alfred A. Knopf features a cover with horizontal stripes and an oval in the middle that bears the publishing house’s simple logo.

— liz stinson, WIRED, "Go Ahead, Judge These Books by Their Covers", 29 June 2016

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

Did You Know?

A centenary, like its cousin centennial, is an anniversary. Thus, the year 2013 may mark the centenary of a town's founding, and the year-long calendar of public events that the town sponsors for the occasion—that is, the celebration of the anniversary—can also be called a centenary. Individuals have their own centenaries, which usually celebrate their births; thus, Gerald Ford's centenary will occur in 2013, and John Kennedy's in 2017. And if you live long enough to be a centenarian, you'll be around to join the celebrations.