centennial
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to, or marking the completion of, a period of 100 years.
-
pertaining to a 100th anniversary.
-
lasting 100 years.
-
100 years old.
noun
adjective
-
relating to, lasting for, or completing a period of 100 years
-
occurring every 100 years
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of centennial
1790–1800; < Latin cent- 100 ( see cent) + English -ennial pertaining to a period of years (extracted from biennial )
Explanation
If your parents are celebrating their centennial wedding anniversary, make sure you throw them a really big party. Centennial is a word to describe something that has lasted for 100 years — so your parents have been married an unusually long time! When you notice the cent- bit in the word centennial you probably think of words like century (100 years) and cent (100 pennies that make up a dollar), and that tips you off that centennial has something to do with the number 100. What these words all share in common is an origin in the Latin word centum, meaning 100. In the case of the adjective centennial, the addition of -ennial gives the word its sense of describing a one hundred year anniversary.
Vocabulary lists containing centennial
Perfect Ten: Dec, Cent, Mille
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!
"Sisters" by Raina Telgemeier
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!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 15–January 21, 2022
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.
While presidential candidates campaigned around the country, organizers prepared to open Philadelphia’s Centennial Exhibition, the first such World’s Fair in America.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Funding for the project primarily came from the Future Makers initiative, supported by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
America’s first officially sanctioned World’s Fair, the Centennial International Exhibition, arrived when the country was still defining its place among industrial nations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
He started on JSerra’s freshman team, then transferred back home to Centennial.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026
There were six boys, and three of them, Alhaji, Musa, and Kanei, had attended Centennial Secondary School with me in Mattru Jong.
From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah
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.
