century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)rē 

plural centuries

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

3

a

: a subdivision of the Roman legion

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.

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

The Oakland Hills Country Club's clubhouse will once again be open to its members more than four years after a fire destroyed the century-old building. —Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026

Remarkably, this treasure has survived, largely unknown to outsiders until the end of the last century. —Sarah Kozlowski, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026

Jacobs is a cultural titan who found his voice in the late twentieth century, and his influences are mostly culled from that era, too. —Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026

Declining spring precipitation and rising temperatures have caused the Colorado’s flow to decrease by nearly 20 percent over the past quarter century. —Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin centuria, irregular from centum hundred

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing century

• century plant
• the turn of the century

Rhymes for century

• penitentiary
• plenipotentiary

Kids Definition

century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsench-(ə-)rē 

plural centuries

1

: a group of 100 things

2

: a period of 100 years