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.

Why is that a bad thing — especially when those songs provided the foundation for the evolution of American music in the centuries that followed? —

Kyle Denis, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025 On the latest episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield join host Brian Hiatt to break down the performance — and try to figure out why a virtuosic turn from one of the greatest artists of the century stirred up a whole lot of controversy. —

Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025 But another vaccine — the BCG vaccine, formally called the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine which was developed more than a century ago — is somewhat effective in infants, Turner said. —

Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2025 Over a century later, high school cheerleaders are fainting enmasse. —

Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for century