How to Pronounce Century

To pronounce "century", say CENT-ury — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈsɛntʃɝi/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

century

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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Syllables

Letters

/ˈsɛntʃɝi/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/sˈɛntʃəɹi/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “century”

"century" has 2 syllables: cent-ury. It rhymes with penitentiary and midcentury, if that helps it stick.

What does century mean?

noun

A period of 100 consecutive years; often specifically a numbered period with conventional start and end dates, e.g., the twentieth century, which stretches from (strictly) 1901 through 2000, or (informally) 1900 through 1999. The first century AD was from 1 to 100.
A unit in ancient Roman army, originally of 100 army soldiers as part of a cohort, later of more varied sizes (but typically containing 60 to 70 or 80) soldiers or other men (guards, police, firemen), commanded by a centurion.

Synonyms

centuria yearhundred

Hear “century” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with century

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

penitentiary midcentury

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "century"?▾

"Century" has 2 syllables: cent · ury.

What is the IPA transcription of "century"?▾

The IPA transcription of "century" is /ˈsɛntʃɝi/.

What does "century" mean?▾

Century: A period of 100 consecutive years; often specifically a numbered period with conventional start and end dates, e.g., the twentieth century, which stretches from (strictly) 1901 through 2000, or (informally) 1900 through 1999. The first century AD was from 1 to 100.

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