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 University of California was tuition‑free for California residents for roughly a century, from its founding in 1868–69 until 1970. —James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026

Feldman, a fixture at WAGA-TV since 2007, replaces David Chandley, who became chief meteorologist in 2015 after more than a quarter century at rival ABC affiliate WSB-TV. —Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 14 May 2026

While the story is fundamentally the same as the original production — man discovers wife is having an affair, man then plots for his wife’s murder, man then must evade the cops — Hatcher brings the story to the 21st century in many ways. —Amy Reyes may 14, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026

While peacocks have roamed the streets of Los Angeles County for more than a century, officials in 2021 moved to ban people from feeding them after reports of the birds shrieking in the night and damaging property. —Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 14 May 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