centurion
Americannoun
-
(in the ancient Roman army) the commander of a century.
-
Military. Centurion, any one of various British battle tanks in service from 1945 to 1967.
noun
Etymology
Origin of centurion
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English, from Latin centuriōn- (stem of centuriō ), equivalent to centur(ia) century + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A centurion is a kind of soldier in the Roman army responsible for the command of a century, or one hundred, men. Centurion lives on in common language as the typical Roman soldier––countless generations of fifth graders have been asked to sketch their costumes. Their resilience in popular imagination may be ascribed to the role the centurion soldiers played in the Christian gospel story of the life of Jesus Christ.
Vocabulary lists containing centurion
Ancient Rome - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Son of Neptune
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ancient Rome - Middle School and High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Peabody Energy cut its first-quarter Centurion mine shipment forecast to 250,000 tons from 700,000 tons.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
American Express just hiked the annual fee for its Platinum card—which includes access to its Centurion and now Sidecar lounges—to $895.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
American Express says a significant portion of visitors to its Centurion lounge in Las Vegas spend less than an hour there.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
"But there are very tough bowling conditions at Centurion."
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
“Quest travelers! Always in a rush. Now, let’s see—Frank Zhang. Ah! Centurion? Well done, Frank. And that haircut is regulation perfect. I approve! Off you go, then, Centurion Zhang. Do you need any directions today?”
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
