cent

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noun

ˈsent 

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

cent

2 of 3

abbreviation (1)

1

centigrade

2

central

3

centum

4

century

Cent

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

Central

Examples of cent in a Sentence

Noun

A dime is worth 10 cents.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In his first three seasons in the Premier League, Haaland had only five goals from fast breaks and fewer than five per cent of his shots came from fast breaks. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025

Issuing a paper check costs about 50 cents, according to the Treasury Department. —Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 24 Sep. 2025

Mendes indeed was a staunch advocate for that approach, leading alternative proposals for 50-plus cent hikes in 2018 and 2019 and successfully passing Nashville's first property tax rate increase since 2012 as the council's budget chair in 2020. —Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025

Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, won an unlikely victory in 2023, yet his approval rating has sunk as low as fourteen per cent. —Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, hundred, from Latin centum — more at hundred

First Known Use

Noun

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cent

• euro cent
• not one red cent
• per cent
• red cent

Rhymes for cent

• bent
• blent
• ent
• fent
• lent
• meant
• pent
• rent
• rente
• scent
• sent
• spent

Kids Definition

cent

noun

ˈsent

1

: a unit of value equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ part of a basic unit of money (as of a dollar or euro)

2

: a coin or bill representing one cent

Etymology

Noun

from early French cent "hundred," from Latin centum "hundred"