cent

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a small coin that has the value of one cent.

n. a physical coin representing the value of one cent.

“He found a shiny cent on the sidewalk and put it in his pocket.”

“The collector examined the rare copper cent under a magnifying glass to check for minting errors.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Music Technical

n. a very small unit used to measure the difference between two musical notes.

n. a logarithmic unit of measure used for musical intervals, where twelve hundred cents equal one octave.

“The piano tuner adjusted the string by just a few cents to make it perfect.”

“The digital tuner indicated that the violin's A-string was flat by approximately five cents.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. any small or unimportant amount of money.

n. a negligible sum of money; frequently used in negative constructions to indicate total lack of funds or value.

“After paying his rent, he didn't have a cent left for food.”

“The bankrupt firm was unable to pay its creditors a single cent after the liquidation of its remaining assets.”