turn of the century

Idioms  

1. The beginning or end of a particular century, as in That idiom dates from the turn of the century, that is to say, about 1900. This expression was first recorded in 1926.

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Example Sentences

In all, 16 members have died in office this decade, more than in any three consecutive Congresses since the turn of the century.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026

Between the Civil War and the turn of the century, the percentage of Americans identifying as Catholics doubled from about 8% of the population to 17%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Rebooting those series represents the "cultural centrality to television that was made before the turn of the century and even into the new century," Thompson said.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Together, Coppola and Jacobs dominated and defined what indie style looked like at the turn of the century.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

There wasn’t even a baseline from the previous study, given the low use of cell phones at the turn of the century.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel