Centennial: Definition, Usage & Examples

Meaning 1：a 100th anniversary celebration (centennial)

centennial 🔊

/senˈten.i.əl/

A celebration or event that happens when something turns 100 years old.

Centennial celebration scene with large number 100, crowds, and festive atmosphere in city square

a 100th anniversary celebration 🔊

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/ə ˈhʌndrədθ əˈnɪvərsəri ˌsɛləˈbreɪʃən/

Refers to a celebration or event that marks the 100th anniversary of something.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'centum' (hundred) and 'annus' (year).

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'cent' (100) and 'ennial' (yearly), so a centennial is a 100-year event.

📖 Example

The university is planning a grand concert for its centennial next year. 🔊 The university is organizing a large concert for its 100th anniversary next year.

🔗 Collocations

centennial celebration – a celebration for a 100th anniversary

centennial anniversary – the 100th year since an event

centennial event – an event marking a century

🔄 Synonyms

centenary (n.) – a hundredth anniversary, especially in British English

100th anniversary (n.) – the celebration of 100 years since an event

century mark (n.) – informal term for a 100-year point

🌱 Derivatives

centennially (adv.) – occurring every hundred years

📖 Cultural Story

The term originates from Latin, commonly used for 100-year milestones like the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, marking historical events.