centenary
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a period of 100 years.
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recurring once in every 100 years.
a centenary celebration.
noun
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a centennial.
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a period of 100 years; century.
adjective
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of or relating to a period of 100 years
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occurring once every 100 years
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of centenary
1600–10; < Latin centēnārius (adj.), equivalent to centēn ( ī ) a hundred each ( cent ( um ) 100 + -ēnī distributive suffix) + -ārius -ary
Explanation
A centenary is the hundredth anniversary of some event. When your great grandfather turns 100, his birthday party will be the centenary of his birth. If your town is celebrating its centenary, that means it's exactly 100 years old. You can also use this word as an adjective, to describe something that's been around for a hundred years: "The orchestra's centenary concert will happen next summer." Centenary comes from the Latin centum, "hundred," which is also the root of its synonym, centennial.
Vocabulary lists containing centenary
Perfect Ten: Dec, Cent, Mille
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dec, cent, mille
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2015 National Spelling Bee Words
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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.
The choreographer’s troupe marked its centenary this spring at City Center, and an exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and a photographic book offer further insight into her innovative artistry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Monroe’s centenary arrives this month amid a push to re-establish her as a serious actress and a multidimensional person.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
The BBC has been celebrating Sir David's centenary with special programming throughout the week.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
The BBC is leading the celebration of the Briton's centenary with a full week of programming dedicated to his life.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
There was also, poignantly now, a slender, hardbound history of Centralia, prepared to mark the town’s centenary just before the outbreak of the fire.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
