century

noun

cen·tu·ry | \ ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)rē

plural centuries

Definition of century

1 : a period of 100 years a company that has been in business for more than a century specifically : one of the 100-year divisions of the Christian era or of the preceding period of human history the third century A.D./B.C the 18th century

2 : a group, sequence, or series of 100 like things

3a : a subdivision of the Roman legion the third century A.D.

b : a voting unit of ancient Rome constituted according to property qualifications

4 : a race over a hundred units (such as yards, miles, or meters)

Examples of century in a Sentence

It took more than a century to complete the cathedral. Millions of people celebrated the beginning of the 21st century on January 1, 2000. The pottery dates back to the sixth century B.C.E. When the prince got married, it was called the wedding of the century.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dating back to the 4th century, many Christians have marked the end of the Christmas season on the Twelfth Night (or 12 nights after Christmas) — an evening also known as the Eve of the Epiphany. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "When Should You Take Your Christmas Tree Down? The Answer Will Definitely Surprise You," 24 Dec. 2018 Further Reading The complete history of the IBM PC, part one: The deal of the centuryWhen Intel failed to meet Redactron's needs for suitable silicon for the machine, Berezin's company designed and produced its own. — Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, "Computing pioneer Evelyn Berezin died this week—she should be remembered," 15 Dec. 2018 The whole kissing thing didn't come about until centuries later (during the Middle Ages), when Scandinavian people shared the stories of the Nordic gods. — Adam Schubak, Country Living, "Here's How Kissing Under the Mistletoe Became a Christmas Tradition," 29 Nov. 2018 Yet, considering Japan’s rich culture and centuries of tradition, perhaps some of the disconnect felt by those who frequent the European design fairs can be chalked up to cultural difference. — Sarah Hucal, Curbed, "Designart Tokyo, in second-annual event, shows promise," 27 Nov. 2018 The Carrara marble counter extends into a breakfast bar, which occupies the space where a wall was removed; and just beyond, in the dining nook, sits a black-lacquered mid- century dining table from an Italian racetrack—another prized European find. — Nick Sullivan, ELLE Decor, "A Snug New York Bachelor Pad Is Morphed Into a Swank and Spacious Home," 20 Nov. 2018 This being Asia, 20 years might as well be a century. — Peter Jon Lindberg, Condé Nast Traveler, "Hanoi, Time and Again," 20 Nov. 2018 It's taken almost half a century, but Judy Blume fans will finally get to see Margaret, Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie discuss periods and bra padding on the big screen in the very near future. — Andrea Park, Teen Vogue, "Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" Is Finally Being Turned Into a Movie," 18 Oct. 2018 Yet the last supernova observed in our galaxy was in 1604 — more than four centuries ago. — Yvette Cendes, Discover Magazine, "Searching For Tonight’s Supernova," 17 Aug. 2018

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