centurion
Americannoun
-
centurions
plural
-
(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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
Tim Seifert whacked 52 from 26 balls but around him New Zealand lost regular wickets in pursuit of a lost cause, including Finn Allen, the Black Caps' semi-final centurion, for nine in the third over.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026
England centurion Danny Care says utility back Daly's experience could be vital in a high-pressure game.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka, a centurion against Australia, fell for nine exposing Sri Lank's shaky middle order and they folded in 16.4 overs.
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026
"It doesn't sit that well with me," England centurion Danny Care told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2025
A quest must be led by someone of centurion rank or higher.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Think of the centurions who cast lots for Christ’s robes on the day of the Crucifixion in 33 A.D.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
“And so the law is the guardrails. So there has to be lawyers who are prepared to protect those guardrails and to stand as centurions, as I refer to us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026
He’s been prattling on about Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” and sharing Facebook nonsense about centurions ever since.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025
The three cap centurions boast 323 Wales international appearances between them, with North among an elite group to feature in four World Cups.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2023
They had an annoying habit of standing halfway inside living people, so that the ranks looked like a blurry photograph, but finally the centurions got them sorted out.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
