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 five-acre property boasts 12 cozy guest rooms, heritage gardens, a suspension bridge, and original 18th-century elements like thick stone walls. —Hayley Hutson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2025

Founded in the 1860s, Apex is considered one of the most intact turn-of-the-century railroad towns in the area. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025

His approach has had a deep influence on leading conservative American intellectuals of the past half century, including Allan Bloom and Harry Jaffa, the godfather of the Claremont Institute. —George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025

In the sixteenth century, kings, Popes, Medicis, and other aristocrats began constructing rooms where courtiers would wait. —Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

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