cent

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noun

ˈsent 

1

: a monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ of a basic unit of value (such as dollar, euro, rand) see birr, dollar, euro, leone, lilangeni, nakfa, rand, rupee, shilling at Money Table

2

: a coin, token, or note representing one cent

3

: the fen of the People's Republic of China

cent

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abbreviation (1)

1

centigrade

2

central

3

centum

4

century

Cent

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abbreviation (2)

Central

Examples of cent in a Sentence

Noun

A dime is worth 10 cents.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That was worse than the Street’s estimates for a loss of 37 cents per share and $466 million in revenue, per LSEG. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024

For 2024, the rate for mileage driven in service of charitable organizations is just 14 cents per mile. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

While the average price for electricity in the U.S. is about 16.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, Arbor discovered a wide range between states. —Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 10 Dec. 2024

As of Tuesday afternoon, the national average for a kilowatt of electricity at a public EV charging station was 35 cents. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, hundred, from Latin centum — more at hundred

First Known Use

Noun

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cent

• euro cent
• not one red cent
• per cent
• red cent

Kids Definition

cent

noun

ˈsent

1

: a unit of value equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ part of a basic unit of money (as of a dollar or euro)

2

: a coin or bill representing one cent

Etymology

Noun

from early French cent "hundred," from Latin centum "hundred"