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century Definition

cen·tury (sen′c̸hə rē, -s̸hə-)

noun pl. -·ries

  1. any period of 100 years, as from 1620 to 1720
  2. a period of 100 years reckoned from a certain time, esp. from the beginning of the Christian Era ( 1) [ 1 through 100 is the first century; 1801 through 1900 is the 19th century; 400 through 301 is the 4th century]: in common usage, a century begins with a year ending in 00 and runs through 99, as 1800-1899
  3. in ancient Rome
    1. a military unit, originally made up of 100 men
    2. a subdivision of the people made for voting purposes
  4. a series, group, or amount of a hundred

Etymology: L centuria < centum, hundred

century Related Forms

cen·tu′·ri·al (sen to̵or′ē əl, -tyoor′-) adjective

century Synonyms

century

n.

100 years, centenary, era; see age 3, hundred, time 1.

century Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • span: Spanning almost a century of cinema-going, the list highlights the diversity of the British palate when it comes to choice of film favorites.
  • witness: Pope Gregory in the sixth century first witnessed blond hair, blue eyed boys awaiting sale in a Roman slave market.

Adjective modifier

  • 19th: The 19th Century The 1844 Bank Charter Act tied the note issue to the Bank's gold reserves.
  • 20th: In the late 20th century the devil is having a field day.
  • 21st: Today, in the 21st century, the Society is for people who value the rural areas of Scotland.
  • nineteenth: Time for tea Later in the nineteenth century then, going out to a tea shop became a popular pastime for women.
  • twentieth: To bring the class in to the twentieth century we were then given writing books.
  • 18th: Back in the 18th century, Cadiz had no less than 160 towers to watch over its harbors.

Modifies a noun

  • ad: We do know he was born in the 4th century AD in an area which today is part of Turkey.
  • farmhouse: Sentry Hill is a 19th century farmhouse with a fascinating family history.
  • inn: Centrally situated, this picturesque hotel, once a 17th century inn, presents many homely, Austrian features.
  • castle: Doune Castle A magnificent 14th century courtyard castle, once the ancestral home of the Earls of Moray.
  • cottage: Cherry Tree Cottage ( Sleeps 4 ) This two-bedroomed 19th century stone cottage has been recently renovated to retain the original features.
  • tower: St Mary is all of a pleasing mixture, with its elegant unbuttressed 14th century tower, and windows of all periods.

Noun used with modifier

  • th: There is also a 13 th Century gilt pulpit.
  • st: The flower center is a new hub of growth for the floriculture industry in the 21 st century.
  • mid-nineteenth: Until the mid-nineteenth century, it was defended by a wall, now the inner route of the number five bus.
  • mid-19th: Although not widespread, invisibility at least is recorded in encounters fairly evenly from the mid-19th century through to the late 1980's.
  • mid-eighteenth: During the mid-eighteenth century a house was built on the site for the sixth Viscount Wenman.
  • mid-18th: Beyond lie the less formal landscaped grounds and parkland that was laid out in the mid-18th century.