century

noun

cen·tu·ry ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)rē

plural centuries

: 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

: a group, sequence, or series of 100 like things

: a subdivision of the Roman legion

: a voting unit of ancient Rome constituted according to property qualifications

: 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

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.

Over the past two centuries, its concentration has more than doubled, a much faster increase than for carbon dioxide. —

Rob Jackson, WIRED, 7 Jan. 2025 Advertisement There have been 10 earthquakes of at least magnitude 6 in the area where Tuesday’s quake hit over the past century, the USGS said. —

Ken Moritsugu, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025 During Spain’s colonial rule of the Philippines, which lasted from the mid-sixteenth century until 1898, Spanish priests staged folk dramas in town plazas; called moro-moro, the performances featured Christian soldiers dramatically capturing Islamic strongholds. —

Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025 The movie itself was widely criticized, with director Sam Taylor-Johnson facing accusations of exploiting Winehouse’s troubled personal life, but Abela earned high praise for her embodiment of who many deem one of the greatest musical talents of the 21st century. —

Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for century