century

¹

[ sen-chuh-ree ]

noun

, plural cen·tu·ries.

1. a period of 100 years.
2. one of the successive periods of 100 years reckoned forward or backward from a recognized chronological epoch, especially from the assumed date of the birth of Jesus.
3. any group or collection of 100:

   a century of limericks.

4. (in the ancient Roman army) a company, consisting of approximately 100 men.
5. one of the voting divisions of the ancient Roman people, each division having one vote.
6. (initial capital letter) Printing. a style of type.
7. Slang. a hundred-dollar bill; 100 dollars.
8. Sports. a race of 100 yards or meters, as in track or swimming, or of 100 miles, as in bicycle racing.
9. Cricket. a score of at least 100 runs made by one batsman in a single inning.

-century

²

[ sen-chuh-ree ]

1. a combining form of century, affixed to the number that specifies the 100-year span cited, and used only as an adjective:

   19th-century American literature;

   a collection of 6th-century metal sculptures that was stolen in the late 20th century.

century

/ ˈsɛntʃərɪ /

noun

1. a period of 100 years
2. one of the successive periods of 100 years dated before or after an epoch or event, esp the birth of Christ
3. 1. a score or grouping of 100

      to score a century in cricket

   2. ( as modifier )

      the basketball team passed the century mark in their last game

4. (in ancient Rome) a unit of foot soldiers, originally 100 strong, later consisting of 60 to 80 men See also maniple
5. (in ancient Rome) a division of the people for purposes of voting
6. often capital a style of type

Other Words From

• half-centu·ry noun plural halfcenturies

Word History and Origins

Origin of century¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin centuria “unit made up of 100 parts (especially a company of soldiers),” equivalent to cent(um) “hundred” + -uria, perhaps extracted from decuria “a division of 10 men”; decury

Word History and Origins

Origin of century¹

C16: from Latin centuria, from centum hundred

Idioms and Phrases

see turn of the century .

Example Sentences

For the first time in at least a quarter of a century, the Bruins are not expected to bring in a high school prospect during the early signing period that started Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times

Worldwide, the number of displaced people has been climbing alongside what appears to be the rising severity of disasters, and research suggests that by later this century as much as one-third of civilization — billions of people — could be facing the kind of heat and drought that had prohibited most human settlement for thousands of years.

From Salon

As Jared Taylor, the white supremacist and founder of the New Century Foundation, put it when we met this year, a new wave of “eco-supremacists” is emerging.

From Salon

At Mahalo Flowers in Culver City and Century Flowers in Inglewood, the multiuse plant is ceremoniously styled in floral arrangements bought by customers.

From Los Angeles Times

The lights of Century City flicked on in the distance, and the expansive view of the Pacific Ocean disappeared from sight.

From Los Angeles Times