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

In the Northeast, visitors discover a corridor where centuries of history, untamed coastlines, and cosmopolitan energy intertwine. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Pries’s suggestion, known as the inverse Galois problem, was inspired by the work of the 19th-century French mathematician Évariste Galois, who perished after he was wounded in a gun duel at age 20. — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

The reforms center on breaking veto-heavy decision deadlocks, bringing poorer economies into global supply chains, cracking down on unfair state subsidies and rewriting outdated 20th-century trade rules. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Nor has the Whitney ever tapped an artist to take the reins of a major retrospective across its nearly century-long history. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 22 Sep. 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

Kids Definition

century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsench-(ə-)rē 

plural centuries

1

: a group of 100 things

2

: a period of 100 years