# century

/ˈsɛntʃɝi/ (US) · /sˈɛntʃəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/century
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. 100 years

noun · CEFR A1

a period of 100 years.

For teachers: a period of one hundred consecutive years, often used to identify specific historical eras.

- The castle was built in the twelfth century and is still standing today.
- Technological advancements in the twenty-first century have fundamentally altered how we communicate and access information globally.

### 2. sporting score

noun · CEFR B2

a score of 100 points or runs in a game.

For teachers: a score of one hundred units, most commonly referring to runs scored by a single batsman in cricket.

- The crowd cheered loudly when the player reached his first century of the season.
- He reached his century with a powerful boundary, marking his third hundred-run milestone in the current test series.

Usage: Commonly used in cricket and occasionally in cycling to refer to a 100-mile ride.

### 3. Roman military unit

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small group of soldiers in the ancient Roman army.

For teachers: a tactical unit of the ancient Roman army, originally consisting of one hundred men and commanded by a centurion.

- The Roman century was led by a centurion who was responsible for training the men.
- Historical records suggest that by the late Republic, a century often comprised eighty men rather than the literal hundred its name implies.

### 4. 100 dollar bill

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang

a one hundred dollar bill.

For teachers: a banknote with a denomination of one hundred dollars.

- He pulled a century out of his wallet to pay for the expensive dinner.
- The informant was handed a thick envelope containing several centuries in exchange for the sensitive documents.

## Examples

- The castle was built over a century ago.
- The opening batsman raised his bat to the crowd after reaching his first century of the season.
- While the eighteenth century is often defined by the Enlightenment, historians frequently debate whether such cultural shifts were felt equally across different social classes of the era.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.