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
In the petition, Loe and others cited historical records describing the springs and the creek nearly a century ago, including field notes and reports from W.P. Rowe, an engineer who surveyed the watershed starting in 1929.
—
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2024
Even with the city’s waste flowing the other way, the waterway came to be seen as unsafe, or at least unsavory for swimming for much of the latter part of the 20th century and beyond.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for century 
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2024
Even with the city’s waste flowing the other way, the waterway came to be seen as unsafe, or at least unsavory for swimming for much of the latter part of the 20th century and beyond.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for century
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Century.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/century. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
century
noun
cen·tu·ry
ˈsench-(ə-)rē
plural centuries
1
: a group of 100 things
2
: a period of 100 years
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