What does centime mean?
A centime is a small unit of currency representing one hundredth of a franc. Introduced in France in 1795 as part of the decimalized franc system created after the Revolution, it served as the standard subdivision of French coinage for over two centuries until the euro replaced the franc in 2002. The term remains current in countries whose currencies are still called francs: Switzerland uses centime coins alongside its franc, and West and Central African states use centimes as subdivisions of the CFA franc. In English writing, the word appears most often in historical, economic, or travel contexts — describing old French price lists, stamps, or coins — rather than in everyday speech. Its familiar Latin-derived root, shared with "cent" and "century," makes its meaning easy to grasp: like those words, it signals "one hundredth" of something.
nounA centime is a monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a franc, formerly used in France and several other francophone countries, and still the fractional unit of currencies such as the Swiss franc and the CFA franc.
- A monetary subunit equal to one hundredth of a franc (historically the French franc; currently the Swiss franc, CFA franc, and related currencies).
"The old coins in her grandmother's tin included a few battered five-centime pieces from pre-euro France."
"The stamp cost barely a few centimes when it was issued in the 1920s."
"Swiss prices are quoted in francs, though centime coins remain in everyday circulation."
Standard plural in both French-origin and English usage; pronounced identically to the singular in careful anglicized speech but typically with a final /z/ in natural English.
"A cup of coffee cost forty centimes when she first arrived in Paris."
France's humble centime outlived its own currency — it still jingles in pockets today as the small change of the Swiss franc and the CFA franc.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of centime
The word "centime" was coined in France in the 1790s, during the Revolutionary reorganization of the currency into a decimal system based on the franc. It combines the Latin root "centum," meaning "hundred," with the suffix "-ime," yielding literally "a hundredth part." It thus shares its origin with other "cent-" words borrowed from Latin, including "cent," "percent," and "century." Related Romance forms exist in French and other languages that adopted franc-based currencies.
How centime is actually used
"Centime" is chiefly encountered in historical contexts relating to the French franc (abolished in 2002 with the euro's adoption) or in reference to countries that retained franc-based currencies. In French itself, the plural is "centimes"; English usage follows the same plural. The word carries a slightly old-fashioned or continental flavor in English prose.
Easily confused with centime
A centime is a unit of currency worth one hundredth of a franc, while a centimeter is a metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter.