centennial

noun

cen·​ten·​ni·​al sen-ˈte-nē-əl 

: a 100th anniversary or its celebration

centennial adjective

centennially

sen-ˈte-nē-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of centennial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Airport and city leaders gathered at the top of a hill, as jet engines roared behind them, to bury a time capsule of the airport’s first 100 years, one of the final ceremonies of the institution’s centennial celebrations. — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Genesis, which commissioned the short to mark the centennial, came to her with a deceptively simple brief. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

At Grill, which celebrates its centennial this year, a recent renovation has restored the Weimar-era Art Deco design of German modernist Emil Fahrenkamp. — Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026

Cascia Hall is one of the oldest private schools in Oklahoma, nearing its centennial, and is considered one of the premier private institutions in the state. — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin centum + English -ennial (as in biennial)

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for centennial

• bicentennial
• biennial
• decennial
• millennial
• perennial
• quadrennial
• quinquennial
• triennial
• sesquicentennial

Kids Definition

centennial

1 of 2 noun

cen·​ten·​ni·​al

sen-ˈten-ē-əl

: a 100th anniversary or its celebration

centennial

2 of 2 adjective

: relating to a period of 100 years

centennially

-ē-ə-lē

adverb