hundred
A1Neutral (used in all registers from formal to informal).
Definition
Meaning
The number equal to ten times ten; 100.
A large but indefinite number; a hundred can also signify a subdivision of certain units (e.g., a county), a historical administrative division, or a group of things approximating that number.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used both as a cardinal number and as part of larger numbers. Can function as a noun ('a hundred', 'hundreds of people') and, less commonly, in compound adjectives ('hundred-year-old'). In spoken English, often used hyperbolically to mean 'a lot'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word itself is identical. Minor differences exist in its use with 'and' in longer numbers (BrE: 'one hundred and one', AmE: 'one hundred one' is also acceptable, though 'and' is common).
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NUM + hundred + (and) + NUM (e.g., two hundred and fifty)hundreds of + PLURAL NOUNa + hundred + COUNT NOUN (e.g., a hundred reasons)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “not a hundred percent”
- “a hundred to one”
- “ninety-nine times out of a hundred”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in financial reports, statistics, and projections ('revenue increased by several hundred percent').
Academic
Common in quantitative research, historical dating ('the fifteen hundreds'), and statistical data.
Everyday
Extremely common for counting, approximating age, distance, money, and crowds.
Technical
Used in precise measurements, computing (HTTP status code 100 series), and mathematics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- To 'hundred' is not a standard verb.
American English
- To 'hundred' is not a standard verb.
adverb
British English
- Used adverbially in phrases like 'a hundred percent sure'.
- He wasn't a hundred percent mentally after the incident.
American English
- I'm a hundred percent certain.
- She's feeling a hundred percent better today.
adjective
British English
- She inherited a hundred-year-old cottage.
- It's a hundred-to-one chance.
American English
- He made a hundred-dollar bet.
- It's a hundred percent guaranteed.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have one hundred pencils.
- My grandmother is one hundred years old.
- Hundreds of people attended the free concert in the park.
- The repair will cost over two hundred pounds.
- The archaeological site dates back to the fifteen hundreds.
- The margin of error was less than one hundredth of a percent.
- The policy received a hundred percent backing from the committee, a rare show of unity.
- Historical estimates put the death toll in the low hundreds, though figures are contested.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'HUN-gry DREaDnought' – a huge battleship needing a crew of about a hundred.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS VERTICALITY / SIZE ('sky-high numbers'), A LARGE NUMBER IS A SOLID MASS ('hundreds of protesters flooded the streets').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- In Russian, 'сто' (sto) is used for 100, but Russian often uses the genitive plural after numbers like 2,3,4. English uses the simple plural after 'hundreds of' (e.g., hundreds of books, not *hundreds of book).
- Avoid literal translation of 'several hundred' into Russian word order; keep it 'several hundred people'.
- The English 'hundred' in dates (e.g., the 1600s) corresponds to specific Russian constructs ('шестнадцатисотые годы').
Common Mistakes
- Using singular noun after 'hundred' without 'a' or a number (Incorrect: *'He has hundred pounds'. Correct: 'He has a hundred pounds' or 'He has one hundred pounds').
- Adding plural 's' to 'hundred' when used with a precise number (Incorrect: *'five hundreds'. Correct: 'five hundred').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is grammatically correct when stating a precise quantity?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'A hundred' is more common in informal speech, while 'one hundred' is used for emphasis, clarity, or in formal contexts like financial transactions.
After a number (two, five, several), use the singular 'hundred' (e.g., five hundred). Use the plural 'hundreds' only when giving an approximate, large number without a preceding figure (e.g., hundreds of times, many hundreds).
In British English, 'one hundred and one' is standard. In American English, 'one hundred one' is also accepted, particularly in technical/formal writing, but 'one hundred and one' is very common in speech.
Not by itself. It appears in adverbial phrases, most commonly 'a hundred percent' (meaning 'completely' or 'totally'), as in 'I agree a hundred percent.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Numbers and Time
A1 · 50 words · Numbers, dates, days and expressions of time.