centenary

noun

cen·​te·​na·​ry sen-ˈte-nə-rē How to pronounce centenary (audio) ˈsen-tə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce centenary (audio)
-ˌne-rē,
 especially British  sen-ˈtē-nə-rē
plural centenaries
centenary adjective

Did you know?

A centenary, like its cousin centennial, is an anniversary. Thus, the year 2013 may mark the centenary of a town's founding, and the year-long calendar of public events that the town sponsors for the occasion—that is, the celebration of the anniversary—can also be called a centenary. Individuals have their own centenaries, which usually celebrate their births; thus, Gerald Ford's centenary will occur in 2013, and John Kennedy's in 2017. And if you live long enough to be a centenarian, you'll be around to join the celebrations.

Examples of centenary in a Sentence

This year marks the centenary of the building's construction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On November 21, 2024, Montblanc marked the centenary of its iconic Meisterstück writing instruments with an extraordinary event in Chengdu, China. Fairchild Studio, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024 For around a century, Gustave Caillebotte was the most discreet of the Impressionists, only coming back into the spotlight in 1994, when the Grand Palais in Paris celebrated the centenary of his death in 1894 through a memorable retrospective. Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 31 Oct. 2024 Chile were no match as the likes of Premier League stars Luis Díaz and Jhon Durán both got their names on the scoresheet, on a day where the hosts wore a stunning kit that celebrated the centenary of the federation. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 To mark the centenary of Enrico Baj’s birth, Milan celebrates one of the masters of the Italian and international neo-avant-garde with a retrospective curated by art historian Chiara Gatti and the artist’s wife Roberta Cerini Baj. Andrea Onate, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for centenary 

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin centenarium, from Latin centenarius of a hundred, from centeni one hundred each, from centum hundred — more at hundred

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of centenary was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near centenary

Cite this Entry

“Centenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centenary. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

centenary

adjective or noun
cen·​ten·​a·​ry
sen-ˈten-ə-rē,
ˈsent-ᵊn-ˌer-ē

More from Merriam-Webster on centenary

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