What does centenary mean?
A centenary is the hundredth anniversary of a significant event — most often the founding of an institution such as a university, company, or nation, though it may also commemorate a war, a birth, or another milestone. The word is used both for the anniversary itself and for the festivities surrounding it, as in 'centenary celebrations' or 'a centenary exhibition'. It belongs chiefly to formal and commemorative register: newspapers, official speeches, and institutional histories favour it over more casual phrasing. British English strongly prefers 'centenary', while American English generally uses 'centennial'; the two are interchangeable in meaning but not in regional habit. Derived from Latin 'centenarius' ('of a hundred'), via French, the word entered English in the seventeenth century. Its enduring appeal lies in the weight of time it conveys: a centenary is not merely an old date but a moment when communities pause to reflect on a full century of continuity, achievement, and change.
nounA centenary is the hundredth anniversary of a significant event, or the celebration marking it.
- The hundredth anniversary of an important event, especially as marked by public celebration or commemoration.
"The university celebrated its centenary with a year-long programme of lectures and exhibitions."
"The town held a grand parade to mark the centenary of its founding."
"Her grandfather's medal was displayed at the museum's centenary exhibition."
The plural follows the standard '-y' to '-ies' pattern and is used when referring to multiple hundredth anniversaries.
"The archive holds records of three separate centenaries celebrated by the institution over the decades."
The word 'centenary' shares its Latin root with 'century' — so every time you mark one, you're literally celebrating a hundred years in a single word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of centenary
'Centenary' derives from Latin 'centenarius', meaning 'containing a hundred' or 'of a hundred each', formed from 'centeni' ('one hundred each') on the root 'centum' ('hundred'). It passed into English in the early seventeenth century, likely via French 'centenaire'. The same Indo-European root 'centum' gives English a family of related words including 'century', 'centurion', and 'centennial' — the last being the American counterpart that ultimately shares the identical Latin ancestry.
Related word forms
How centenary is actually used
'Centenary' is the standard British English term; American English typically prefers 'centennial', though both are understood everywhere. The word carries a formal, commemorative tone and is most often used for institutions (universities, companies), nations, wars, and notable births or deaths. The plural is 'centenaries'.
Easily confused with centenary
Both mean a hundredth anniversary, but 'centenary' is the usual term in British English while 'centennial' predominates in American English.
A bicentenary marks two hundred years, not one hundred.