centenarian
noun
Did you know?
We can't say there are exactly 100 English words based on the Latin root centum, meaning "hundred," but there are certainly dozens. "Centenarian" isn't the oldest one; it only dates from the late 1700s. Far older is "centurion" (an ancient Roman military officer), which has been around since the 13th century. A younger "centum" offspring is "centisecond," a rare term for 1/100 of a second that dates from the 1950s. From colorful words such as "centicipitous" (which means "100-headed") to practical ones like "centgener" ("a device for planting 100 seeds"), "centum" descendants have enlivened our language for centuries.
Examples of centenarian in a Sentence
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
The event commemorated the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth on the 100th anniversary of her birth, bringing together representatives from a selection of her many patronages and centenarians celebrating their 100th birthdays on April 21.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The festivities include a Buckingham Palace reception where Charles will congratulate centenarians who share the late monarch's birthday, and the dedication of a memorial garden at Regent's Park in central London.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Natalia, a lonely Brazilian centenarian, anchors this searching novel.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for centenarian
Cite this Entry
“Centenarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centenarian. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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centenarian
noun
