century

noun

cen·​tu·​ry ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)rē How to pronounce century (audio)
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 This new crop of moonwalkers — the first since last century’s Apollo program — will descend to the lunar surface in a Starship after transferring from NASA's Orion capsule in lunar orbit. By marcia Dunn, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 After a half century, that network and infrastructure are not easily duplicated. Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Composite sketch and undated photo of Linda Sue Childers whose remains were identified after half a century. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024 Fuel emissions standards, the likes of which the United States has had for half a century. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Her former homestead has been the site of weddings and summer vacations for more than a quarter of a century. Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024 More than a century after the Titanic went down, researchers and historians remain captivated by its story. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 During the first eight decades of the 20th century, the five Greines brothers were so well known in north Fort Worth that no one had to ask how to say the family’s last name. Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Mar. 2024 Starting from around the 10th century, Onmyōji were charged with carrying out iatromancy: divining the cause of a disease. Alessandro Poletto, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'century.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin centuria, irregular from centum hundred

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of century was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near century

Cite this Entry

“Century.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/century. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

century

noun
cen·​tu·​ry ˈsench-(ə-)rē How to pronounce century (audio)
plural centuries
1
: a group of 100 things
2
: a period of 100 years

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