cental: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely RareTechnical/Historical
Quick answer
What does “cental” mean?
A unit of weight equal to one hundred pounds, used primarily in agriculture and commerce for measuring grains and other bulk commodities.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A unit of weight equal to one hundred pounds, used primarily in agriculture and commerce for measuring grains and other bulk commodities.
Historically and regionally used to describe a hundredweight, specifically a short hundredweight of 100 pounds, as opposed to the long hundredweight of 112 pounds. It can also refer to a system of selling grain by weight.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term was used in the UK but is now almost entirely archaic. In the US, it was officially defined in the 19th and early 20th centuries but has also fallen into disuse in favor of standard hundredweight or direct pound measurements.
Connotations
Old-fashioned, technical, agricultural. No significant modern regional difference in connotation, as the word is equally obsolete in both varieties.
Frequency
Virtually non-existent in contemporary language. Slightly more likely to appear in American historical documents related to the grain trade, but this is a marginal difference.
Grammar
How to Use “cental” in a Sentence
The [commodity] was priced at [amount] per cental.They measured the yield in [number] centals.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cental” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
American English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Obsolete. May appear in historical commodity trading documents.
Academic
Used only in historical analyses of weights, measures, or agricultural economics.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Possibly referenced in historical agricultural engineering or metrology contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cental”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cental”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cental”
- Spelling it as 'central'.
- Assuming it is a common or modern term.
- Using it in general contexts instead of specific historical/agricultural ones.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic. You will only find it in historical texts.
A 'cental' is specifically a short hundredweight of 100 pounds. A 'hundredweight' can be either 100 pounds (short, US) or 112 pounds (long, UK traditional).
Only if you are writing about historical agriculture, trade, or weights and measures. In all other contexts, it will confuse readers.
It is pronounced /ˈsɛnt(ə)l/, rhyming with 'mental'. Be careful not to say 'central'.
A unit of weight equal to one hundred pounds, used primarily in agriculture and commerce for measuring grains and other bulk commodities.
Cental is usually technical/historical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CENTury (100) + pOUNDS = CENTAL (a unit of 100 pounds).
Conceptual Metaphor
MEASUREMENT IS QUANTIFICATION.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'cental'?