century
B1Neutral to formal; common in historical, academic, and general contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A period of one hundred years.
A unit of time equal to 100 years; also used to denote a significant historical period, a score of 100 in cricket, or a company of 100 soldiers in ancient Rome.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
When referring to a specific century (e.g., 20th century), it is counted from year 1 to 100, 101 to 200, etc. The word can also metaphorically denote a very long time.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. In cricket (primarily UK/Commonwealth), 'century' means a score of 100 runs by a single batter.
Connotations
Similar historical and temporal connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[PREP] in/during/for/over a/the century[ADJ] + century (e.g., previous/entire/new century)[VERB] + century (e.g., begin/end/span a century)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “not in a hundred years”
- “a turn-of-the-century atmosphere”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in long-term planning and forecasting (e.g., 'a vision for the next century').
Academic
Fundamental in history, archaeology, and sciences for periodization (e.g., '19th-century literature').
Everyday
Common in discussing family history, ages, and anniversaries (e.g., 'My house is over a century old.').
Technical
In Roman history: a military unit. In cricket: a score of 100 runs.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The batter needs to century before lunch.
- He centuried twice in the series.
American English
- (Rare; cricket term not used in US English.)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no common adverbial form.)
American English
- (Not standard; no common adverbial form.)
adjective
British English
- A century-long project.
- Century-old traditions.
American English
- A century-long effort.
- Century-old oak trees.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandmother lived for almost a century.
- The 20th century had many wars.
- The castle was built more than five centuries ago.
- We are now in the 21st century.
- Technological advancements in the past century have been unprecedented.
- The artist's work defined the turn of the century.
- Scholars debate whether the 18th century truly marked the dawn of the Enlightenment.
- The policy's implications will resonate for at least a quarter of a century.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CENTury as having 100 CENTS in a dollar, or a CENTurion (Roman officer) commanding 100 soldiers.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CONTAINER/JOURNEY (e.g., 'We are moving into a new century.'); A CENTURY IS A LANDMARK (e.g., 'a milestone in human history').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'век' for non-temporal uses (e.g., cricket 'century' is not 'век').
- Remember 'century' is strictly 100 years; 'столетие' is the direct equivalent.
- In dates, 'в 20 веке' = 'in the 20th century' (ordinal number + 'century').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'century' for any long period (e.g., *'centuries ago' for 50 years).
- Incorrect ordinal: *'in the 21 century' instead of '21st century'.
- Confusing 'century' with 'centenary' (100th anniversary).
Practice
Quiz
In which context can 'century' mean a score of 100?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There is debate. Historically, centuries in the Gregorian calendar are counted from year 1 (e.g., 21st century: 2001-2100). However, popular usage often associates the '00' year with the new century's start (e.g., 2000).
Yes, but only in the specific context of cricket, meaning 'to score a century (100 runs)'. It is informal and not used in general English.
'Century' is a period of 100 years. 'Centenary' is the 100th anniversary of an event (e.g., 'the centenary of the museum').
Use an ordinal number (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th...). The correct form is '19th century', not '19 century'. It is often hyphenated when used as an adjective: '19th-century architecture'.