What does centuple mean?
Centuple means a hundred times as large, numerous, or intense, and it can function both as an adjective and as a verb. As an adjective, it describes something multiplied a hundredfold — 'a centuple increase in output.' As a verb, it means to increase something by a factor of one hundred — 'the invention centupled production capacity.' The word derives from Latin roots combining 'centum' (hundred) with a suffix indicating multiplicity, placing it in the same family as double, triple, quadruple, and quintuple, though it is far less frequently encountered. Because of its rarity, centuple tends to appear in formal, academic, or deliberately elevated prose rather than casual speech, where speakers almost always prefer the phrase 'a hundredfold' or simply say 'increased a hundred times.' Its value lies chiefly in its precision and economy: a single word that conveys exactly what would otherwise require several.
A hundred times as great in size, number, or degree.
"The archive reported a centuple growth in digitized manuscripts."
Often used attributively before nouns such as 'increase,' 'amount,' or 'growth.'
To multiply something by a hundred; to increase a hundredfold.
"Automation centupled the factory's daily output."
Typically used transitively; inflected forms include centupled and centupling.
While 'double' gets all the glory, English quietly keeps a whole family of number-words — and 'centuple' is its boldest member: a hundredfold in a single word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of centuple
Centuple comes from Latin, combining 'centum,' meaning hundred, with a suffix related to '-plus' or '-plicare,' indicating folds or multiplication — the same pattern that produced double, triple, and quadruple. The word entered English in the early modern period, likely borrowed through Latin scholarly usage during the era when learned vocabulary was being actively imported into the language. Its relatives include other 'cent-' words such as percent, centenary, and centurion, all tracing back to the same Latin root for one hundred.
Related word forms
How centuple is actually used
Centuple is rare and formal, appearing mostly in technical, historical, or literary contexts where 'a hundredfold' would be the everyday alternative. It carries a slightly archaic or scholarly tone.
Easily confused with centuple
Quintuple means fivefold, whereas centuple means a hundredfold.