centenary
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to a period of 100 years.
-
recurring once in every 100 years.
a centenary celebration.
noun
plural
centenaries-
a centennial.
-
a period of 100 years; century.
adjective
-
of or relating to a period of 100 years
-
occurring once every 100 years
noun
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 Queen's visit to the library, and its Treasures collection, will also mark the centenary of the first Winnie-the-Pooh book being published.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
The district, leaning hard into Route 66’s centenary this year, is marked by five Muffler Men, 20-plus-foot-tall fiberglass statues.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
On Tuesday, which marks the centenary of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the final design of a traditional bronze statue of the late Queen will be shown to King Charles and Queen Camilla.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
The Oscars will leave Hollywood after celebrating their centenary, organizers said Thursday, as they announced a long-term deal to hold the gala in central Los Angeles.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
A recent centenary conference and festival devoted to him in modern Hungary simply described him, correctly, as 'European'.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
