: relating to, conforming to, or having a thermometric scale on which the interval between the freezing point of water and the boiling point of water is divided into 100 degrees with 0° representing the freezing point and 100° the boiling point
10° centigrade
abbreviation C
compare celsius

Did you know?

The centigrade scale is essentially identical to the Celsius scale, the standard scale by which temperature is measured in most of the world. Anders Celsius of Sweden first devised the centigrade scale in the early 18th century. But in his version, 100° marked the freezing point of water, and 0° its boiling point. Later users found it less confusing to reverse these two. To convert Fahrenheit degrees to centigrade, subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9. To convert centigrade to Fahrenheit, multiply by 9/5 and add 32.

Examples of centigrade in a Sentence

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.
Individually, the odds of a global economic meltdown, a new pandemic, warming exceeding 4 degrees centigrade, or a third world war remain relatively low. Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 This makes Earth freezing cold even during the summer, with farmland in Kansas cooling by about 20 degrees centigrade (about 40 degrees Fahrenheit), and other regions cooling almost twice as much. Max Tegmark, Time, 29 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin centi- hundred + French grade

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of centigrade was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near centigrade

Cite this Entry

“Centigrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centigrade. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

: relating to or having a thermometer scale on which the interval between the freezing point and the boiling point of water is divided into 100 degrees with 0° representing the freezing point and 100° the boiling point
abbreviation C
compare celsius

Medical Definition

: relating to, conforming to, or having a thermometer scale on which the interval between the freezing and boiling points of water is divided into 100 degrees with 0° representing the freezing point and 100° the boiling point
10° centigrade
abbreviation C
compare celsius

More from Merriam-Webster on centigrade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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