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Where does the word "century" come from? It comes from Latin centuria, and was adopted directly into English (1550s).
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Where does the word "century" come from? It comes from Latin centuria, and was adopted directly into English (1550s).
Century’s story begins in Latin: centuria meant “a group of one hundred.” A group of one hundred, especially a Roman military unit. It reached English by 1550s as century. Settled as the English word for a period of one hundred years. Today, century means a period of one hundred years.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient centuria "a group of one hundred", a group of one hundred, especially a Roman military unit.
- Stage 2 · English · 1550s century "a period of one hundred years", settled as the English word for a period of one hundred years.