Century: meaning, definitions and examples

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century

 

[ ˈsɛn.tʃər.i ]

Context #1 | Noun

time measurement

A century is a period of one hundred years. It is commonly used to refer to a specific period in history, such as the 20th century. The concept of a century is widely recognized and used in various fields, including history, science, and literature.

Synonyms

100 years, centennial, century-long

Examples of usage

  • The 21st century began on January 1, 2001.
  • The 19th century was a time of great industrialization and innovation.
  • The concept of a century is important for understanding historical timelines.
Context #2 | Noun

hundredth anniversary

In some contexts, century can also refer to a hundredth anniversary of an event. For example, a company celebrating its centenary is marking its hundredth year of existence.

Synonyms

100-year mark, centennial celebration, hundredth anniversary

Examples of usage

  • The university celebrated its centenary with a series of events and ceremonies.
  • Our family reunion will coincide with the centenary of our grandparents' wedding.

Translations

Translations of the word "century" in other languages:

🇵🇹 século

🇮🇳 सदी

🇩🇪 Jahrhundert

🇮🇩 abad

🇺🇦 століття

🇵🇱 wiek

🇯🇵 世紀 (seiki)

🇫🇷 siècle

🇪🇸 siglo

🇹🇷 yüzyıl

🇰🇷 세기 (segi)

🇸🇦 قرن (qarn)

🇨🇿 století

🇸🇰 storočie

🇨🇳 世纪 (shìjì)

🇸🇮 stoletje

🇮🇸 öld

🇰🇿 ғасыр

🇬🇪 საუკუნე (saukune)

🇦🇿 əsr

🇲🇽 siglo

Word origin

The word 'century' originated from the Latin word 'centuria,' which referred to a group of one hundred soldiers in the Roman army. Over time, the term evolved to signify a period of one hundred years. The concept of measuring time in centuries has been used for centuries in various civilizations and cultures to mark significant historical periods. Today, the term 'century' continues to be widely used and understood to represent a span of one hundred years.

See also: cent, centenary, centennial, centesimal, centre, centum.

Word Frequency Rank

With position #460, this word is vital for basic English fluency. It appears very frequently in everyday language and should be among the first words you learn and actively use.